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February/March 2015
In this issue . . .
PTO 2-3
Parent University 4
Speaker Series 5
EEF Gala 6
Project Graduation 7
Choir 8
Cheer 9
Hyline 10
Band News 11
Girls Soccer 12
Lacrosse 13
Baccalaureate 14
Westbank Library 15
Community Partners 16
Dear Chaps’ Families,
Welcome to 2015 and a new semester! The Class of 2015 has just 18 weeks until graduation and the Class of 2018 has one
semester under its belt. Regardless of your child’s grade level, it is always helpful to reflect on the previous semester and
recognize just how much our children have grown academically, socially, emotionally, and physically. So many of the small
incremental changes are not recognizable until we look back over time. It is also a good time to reflect on any goals your child
may have set and ask them to set goals and checkpoints for the upcoming semester.
With second semester under way, students are beginning the process of requesting courses for next year. Please be sure,
together with your child, to take time to review the information that our guidance staff provides. The Westlake curriculum has
so much to offer students and not just in the core academic areas. The fine arts, career and technical education, and athletics
offerings are numerous and varied. We want every student to find what interests him or her and pursue that passion while at
Westlake. If you have any questions, our counseling staff is just a phone call or email away. Do not hesitate to use their
expertise! The last day to submit course requests via Skyward Family Access is February 6. It is open now in the Schedule
section of Family Access.
In February, Westlake students will have the opportunity to hear New York Times bestselling author Austin Kleon. Mr. Kleon
speaks on the topic of creativity in the digital age and has spoken for such organizations as Pixar, Google, SXSW, TEDx, and The
Economist (from austinkleon.com). Our English department sought out Mr. Kleon for his insight into creativity. We are excited
to host him here for a day next month. As we continue to examine how we can best nurture creativity, we look forward to
hearing his thoughts on the topic.
We have also recently learned that the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) will be meeting in Austin in a few weeks
and they have asked to be allowed to observe and speak with staff at Westlake High School on one of the days. We are honored
to be visited by such a group. The CCSSO is comprised of the public officials who head the departments of elementary and
secondary education in each state, the District of Columbia, and other U.S. jurisdictions. We welcome the group and look
forward to learning as much from them as they gain from us.
The beginning of second semester is always such a busy time for us. Be sure to check the website for events such as our choir
musical performances (“Shrek: The Musical“), orchestra and band concerts, as well many sporting and academic events. Please
consider taking the time to attend at least one event that is not directly related to your child. The talent of our teachers and
students is truly extraordinary and produces top-quality performances. I look forward to seeing you there!
Go Chaps!
John Carter, Principal
We have also recently learned that the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO)
will be meeting in Austin in a few weeks and they have asked to be allowed to observe
and speak with staff at Westlake High School on one of the days. We are honored to
be visited by such a group. The CCSSO is comprised of the public officials who head the
departments of elementary and secondary education in each state, the District of
Columbia, and other U.S. jurisdictions. We welcome the group and look forward to
learning as much from them as they gain from us.
The beginning of second semester is always such a busy time for us. Be sure to check
the website for events such as our choir musical performances (“Shrek: The Musical“),
orchestra and band concerts, as well many sporting and academic events. Please
consider taking the time to attend at least one event that is not directly related to your
child. The talent of our teachers and students is truly extraordinary and produces top-
quality performances. I look forward to seeing you there!
Go Chaps!
John Carter, Principal
Chap Families,
We want first to thank all who contributed to our teacher appreciation event in December. We were able to
show all of our teachers and staff how much the Chap families appreciate what they do for our kids with some
special treats, gift bags, and gift cards. Again thank you to all who donated their time and gift cards and special
thanks go out to the Teacher Appreciation committee for their coordination of this event!
If you missed it, our January PTO meeting included many speakers and lots of great information. Thank you to
Mrs. DeMartino for sharing with us the latest thinking and teaching in our Science department and thank you
also to Jeff Buch for sharing an update from the Westlake Athletic and Community Center. And lastly, thank
you to Randall's for supplying the food. We invite all parents and teachers to join us for our next PTO
meeting on February 20th at noon in the Chap Room.
We also heard from our Student Council and learned about a project our students have begun and could use
our help. Here's some information that our students shared with us.
Westlake High School is very proud to be partnering with Mobile Loaves and Fishes to help fund raise for their
new community in Austin. The community is being built to give the homeless in Austin an environment to begin
to get back on their feet. The money WHS is raising will be used to build a home in this community. Lake Travis
HS held a similar fundraiser and was able to raise over $15,0000. Our goal is to raise $10,000 by February 27th.
Donations can be made online at mlf.org/whs. Any amount is greatly appreciated!
You may have started hearing about a big project that our WHS parents coordinate called Project Graduation.
Project Graduation is an all night alcohol-free and drug-free celebration immediately following the graduation
ceremony that is held at WHS. This nation-wide program began in response to the high potential for harmful
activities associated with high school graduation celebrations. Project Graduation is a priceless gift to our kids,
their families, and our community and our parent volunteers are what make this event possible. Junior and
Senior parents, please sign up for volunteer spots beginning in March at www.westlakepg.com/forms/And all
parents and community members can show their support and appreciation of this event by buying raffle
tickets to help raise funds for the event at www.westlakepg.com/raffle-tickets/
Lastly, Senior parents if you missed the Senior Parent Meeting night, information and important dates can be
found at whs.eanesisd.net/student-life/seniors.
It's such a busy and exciting time of the school year and we encourage everyone to take part in all the fun
activities in and around our school. And as a reminder, every time you support the concession stands at any of
our WHS events (Baseball, Basketball, Musical, etc.), you are not only supporting the club sponsoring the
event, but the PTO as well. This translates to more opportunities for enrichment in our classroom. Thank you
for all your support!
Go Chaps!
Liz McWhirter - WHS PTO President
PTO President
Here are a few upcoming events/dates to note:
Feb 6th - All Course submissions due
Feb 20th - PTO Meeting at noon in Chap Room
Feb 27th - Spring Pep Rally and Bring the Homeless Home goal deadline
Happy New Year from the WHS PTO Staff Appreciation crew!
A HUGE thank you to those of you who contributed to our holiday event for the WHS Staff!
Thank you for donating gift cards! Thanks to your donations as well as your PTO dollars, we
were able to gift each WHS staff member with a $20 gift card to some of our local favorite
businesses. Our committee members also baked their hearts out to provide a huge buffet of
home-baked cookies and treats so that each teacher was able to enjoy some home-baked
goodness with their families or as a treat during Finals week. It was a great success, and we
could not have done it without you. We would also like to give a big Shout Out to Marye's Pizza,
Taco Deli and P Terrys for donating many gift cards as well. Please be sure to thank these lovely
local businesses for their constant support- we love you, Westlake! As always, we welcome
anyone to join our committee at any time. We have four more events planned for the remainder
of the year, so come join in the fun. Please feel free to email Kristin Paull at
[email protected] if you are interested. Have a wonderful Spring semester!
Project Graduation 2015!
Senior Parents: Student registration is now online at www.WestlakePG.com! Please have your student sign up
to attend PG15. Early Bird tickets are $80; the price will increase to $100 starting March 23. Your student does
not want to miss this amazing event to celebrate his/her graduation.
Junior Parents: We still need several KEY Junior parent volunteers:
PG16 Co-Chair position for Volunteers / Reservations
PG15 Jr Parent Transportation Coordinator
PG15 Jr Parent Volunteer Coordinator
If interested or want to learn more, please email us at [email protected].
VOLUNTEER: In the spring, we will send an email to all Senior and Junior parents with a link to VolunteerSpot.
Please sign up for a shift during the event. It will take over 500 volunteers to make this event a success.
YOUR SUPPORT: It is expensive to throw a party for 600 students; PG15 cannot take place without the
generous support of our parents and community. Please consider making a donation or becoming a sponsor.
You can donate on our website and all levels of contributions are welcome.
STAY INFORMED: VISIT: www.westlakepg.com
FOLLOW: @WestlakePG
LIKE: WestlakeProjectGraduation
Questions? [email protected].
PG15 RAFFLE!
Last chance for PG15 raffle tickets! You can purchase your tickets online at www.WestlakePG.com. The cost is $25 per ticket or $100 for 5 tickets. You can win one of three gift cards: $3000, $1500 or $500. Join the PG committee and Dr. Carter for the raffle drawing party on Friday, February 27th, at 6:00 pm at Silver Papery. If you have a ticket, you could be one of the three lucky winners! (You do not need to be present to win.) If you are interested in purchasing or selling tickets,
please contact Lynn McFarland at
Please support PG15 by buying raffle tickets!
2015 Westlake Girl's Soccer Schedule
Date Day Opponent Location JV Varsity Jan. 3# Sat. San Antonio Reagan SA Reagan 10:00 a.m. 11:30 a.m.
Jan. 6# Tues. Cedar Ridge Cedar Ridge 6:00 p.m.
Jan. 8^ Thurs. El Camino Real, Ca. Southlake Carroll W 3-1
Jan. 9^ Fri. Southlake Carroll Southlake Carroll W 1-0
Jan. 10^ Sat. Arlington Martin Keller High T 1-1
Jan. 13 Tues. Belton Belton W 5-0
Jan. 15+ Thurs. Klein Katy Seven Lakes L 0-0 5-6SO
Jan. 16+ Fri. Cy Creek Katy Seven Lakes W 3-1
Jan. 16 Fri. Vandergrift Vandergrift L 0-3
Jan. 17+ Sat. SA Churchill Katy Seven Lakes W 1-0
Jan. 20 Tues. McNeil McNeil 6:00 p.m.
Jan. 23 Fri. *Akins Westlake 5:30 p.m. 7:15 p.m.
Jan. 27 Tues. *Bowie Burger Stadium 5:30 p.m. 7:15 p.m.
Jan. 31 Sat. *Austin High House Park 9:00 a.m. 10:45 a.m.
Feb. 3 Tues. OPEN
Feb. 6 Fri. *Del Valle Westlake 5:30 p.m. 7:15 p.m.
Feb. 10 Tues. *Lake Travis Westlake 5:30 p.m. 7:15 p.m.
Feb. 13 Fri. *Lehman Lehman 5:30 p.m. 7:15 p.m.
Feb. 16 Mon. *Akins Burger Stadium 5:30 p.m. 7:15 p.m.
Feb. 20 Fri. *Anderson Westlake 5:30 p.m. 7:15 p.m.
Feb. 24 Tues. *Hays Hays 5:30 p.m. 7:15 p.m.
Feb. 27 Fri. *Bowie Westlake 5:30 p.m. 7:15 p.m.
Mar. 4 Wed. *Austin High Westlake 5:30 p.m. 7:15 p.m.
Mar. 6 Fri. OPEN
Mar. 10 Tues. *Lake Travis Lake Travis 5:30 p.m. 7:15 p.m.
Mar. 14 Sat. *Del Valle Del Valle 9:00 a.m. 10:45 a.m.
Mar. 16-20 SPRING BREAK
Mar. 23% Mon. *Lehman Westlake 5:30 p.m. 7:15 p.m.
Mar. 24 District Certification
Mar. 26-28 Bi-District
Apr. 2-4 Area
Apr. 6-7 Regional Quarterfinals
Apr. 10-11 Regional Tournament
Apr. 16-18 State Tournament
#Scrimmage %SENIOR NIGHT
*District 14-6A Match
Westlake High School 4100 Westbank Dr. Austin, TX 78746 Office: 512-732-9280 x34518 Region II District 14-6A
2014 DISTRICT CHAMPIONS WESTLAKE LACROSSE TO BEGIN 2015 SEASON
Westlake High School Boys Lacrosse, the preeminent lacrosse program in Central Texas, is poised to begin
its 2015 season, which runs from January to May 2015.
Jan. 17th: Chaps in Lacrosse Service Day with Mobile Loaves & Fishes 2 pm, Sun. Jan. 25: "Burgers and Beans": Annual Westlake Scrimmage at Chaps Stadium 4 pm, Sat. Jan. 31: JV Opening Game v. Kingwood at Chaps Stadium 6 pm, Sat. Jan. 31: D1 Opening Game v. Kingwood at Chaps Stadium 7 pm, Wed. Feb. 4: D2 Opening Game v. McNeil at Chaps Stadium
For Season Schedules and more information, visit the Westlake H.S. Lacrosse web site at: www.whslax.net
About Westlake Lacrosse
Westlake H.S. lacrosse fields 3 teams; D1 Varsity, D2 Varsity, and Junior Varsity. Westlake is one of the few
high school programs in the state that fields 2 varsity teams.
D1: In 2014 Westlake D1 finished 7th in the State of Texas, posting a regular season record of 8-0, winning
the Texas High School Lacrosse League (“THSLL”) Central District championship.
D2: Despite having an underclassman roster, in the preseason November 2014 “Cowboy Cup” in Plano, D2
finished 2nd to Coppell, which played with an upperclassman roster. In 2014 Westlake D2 finished 26th in
the State of Texas, finishing 4th in the THSLL D2 Central District.
J.V.: With a freshman and sophomore roster, J.V. won the 2014 THSLL Central District Championship.
WHS Class of 2015 Baccalaureate!!! What is Baccalaureate???? Baccalaureate is a student-led service of faith and music.
It's the first event of graduation week!! All seniors, their
family and friends are invited. You do not need a ticket, and it
is optional. Seniors wear their cap, gown and cords.
When is Baccalaureate??? Sunday, May 24, 2015 from 5:00-6:15 p.m.
Where is Baccalaureate????
The Riverbend Centre, 4212 Capital of TX Highway
Who pays for Baccalaureate???
Baccalaureate does not receive any money from WHS or EISD.
We rely on donations from local churches, synagogues, faith
communities and senior parents.
Where can I send a contribution???
Please send a check, made out to WHS Baccalaureate, to
Elizabeth Hunt at 6508 Lost Cove, Austin TX 78746
How can I get involved???
The Baccalaureate Committee is a volunteer group of parents
representing Christian, Hindu, Jewish and Muslim faiths. We need
parents from all grade levels to help out.
How can I get more information???
Please contact Carmen Adams-Schulz [email protected] ,
Sivagami Natesan [email protected] ,
Marijane Smitherman [email protected]
Mondays Laura’s Library Open Chess Open chess play for all ages http://www.westbanklibrary.com/event/open-chess-lauras First Saturdays Madrone Trail Hike Join us for an educational hike (2 miles in length) through the Madrone Canyon, the first Saturday of every month from 8:30 - 9:30 AM. No registration required, but we will require you to sign a liability waiver. Just show up at the trail head at the end of the Laura Bush Library parking lot. Your hike guide will point out different features of the canyon environment. http://www.westbanklibrary.com/event/madrone-canyon-trail-hike-lauras Saturday, February 21, 10:30am at Laura’s Library Intro to Scratch Scratch is a program that is designed by MIT to help people learn how to understand programming. This is a great catch-all for anyone who is looking into studying programming or would like to see if programming is something they can handle. Scratch uses non-script language to help users see how commands work together, just like code, in order to get an action or result. Learning how to code can be hard for many in the beginning but with programs like Scratch, they help show the visual aspects of how to approach code when learning for the first time. Saturday, March, 18, 10:30am, Laura’s Library Free Kaplan Practice SAT Join us for a special administration of a practice SAT, provided by Kaplan Test Prep. Through this practice SAT, students will have exposure to all of the question types on the exam and will receive a detailed score report following the exam, which will outline their composite score and their strengths and weaknesses for each question type. Find out how you will do on the real thing by taking a free Kaplan practice test. The test will be changing soon, but those graduating in 2015 and 2016 will take the current test and so can begin prepping now. Sign up online or email [email protected]. Spring Break Events During spring break the library will host Westbank in Wonderland, a week-long event featuring a plethora of activities inspired by Alice in Wonderland. Join us for a lock-in, photography and cartooning workshops, personalized stationary creation and more! Save the dates of March 13 - 20 at Laura’s Library
February & March Events Westbank and Laura’s Library
Jen Bigheart – [email protected]
Entries for the next edition of Chap
Connections, the October issue, are due by
March 22, 2015. Send to
