Dear Westside Community,

I would like to introduce myself as the proud new principal of Westside High School and welcome you all with excitement to the 2022-23 school year. It is my pleasure to serve this wonderful school community. I look forward to working alongside our amazing students, teachers, and families here at Westside High School, where a tradition of building strong educational foundations exists.

At Westside we continue to enhance and strengthen our pathway programming so that our students develop the skills necessary to compete in a global society. Numerous pathway options are available for students, both zoned and magnet, and through Westside’s S.T.E.A.M and Futures Academy of Health Sciences programs. Throughout the summer and in these weeks leading up to the first day of school, our Wolf Pack teachers are diligently planning and preparing for the new school year. They are participating in professional learning opportunities to reinforce their expertise in curriculum areas to better prepare our Wolf Pack students for post-secondary society. Moreover, our teachers have continually worked to reinforce their skills and build relevant lessons that integrate both traditional practice and new technology to engage students in their learning experiences.

We also recognize the essential role parents and guardians play in shaping and directing your children’s beliefs; we need your support and cooperation to provide the best educational experience possible for your students. Please assist us by encouraging your teenagers to attend classes on time every day and to do their best work.  Also, please discuss with them the importance of adhering to our school dress code policy as a key component of school safety.

My vision is to ensure that we educate each student so that they have the tools to choose where their pathway will lead them – college, career, and/or military. It is important that we treat and educate every student as if they are our very own. Our dedicated staff, including teachers, administrators, support staff, custodians and foodservice staff have worked hard and are ready to welcome students for the 22-23 school year. We will strive to build strong partnerships with our stakeholders and ensure everyone who enters Westside feels valued, safe, and excited to be here.

I am excited to join Westside High School and look forward to getting to know you and working together as a community to help every student achieve at high levels. I invite the entire community to join us as we embrace our theme for the year: THRIVE! This theme inspires us to be the best we can be and do the best we can do to reach academic excellence in a positive environment and to transform students into scholars and champions.

Go Wolves!

Dr. Alisa Zapata

Principal