Welcome to Westside Community Schools, located in the heart of Omaha Nebraska. Westside is a nationally-acclaimed public school district - one of the very best in the United States. Our superior staff, administration and Board of Education are committed to excellence in education for all students. Westside Community Schools provides high academic and behavioral expectations in a caring, friendly environment. We are proud of our strong record of success.

The American School Board Journal recently published an article that linked student achievement with student attendance. Westside Community Schools has received permission to republish the article on its website between now and June 29, 2012. For a pdf copy of this article, please click here.

The Westside Board of Education will meet at the ABC Building, 909 South 76th Street, on Tuesday, May 22, 2012 at 3:30 p.m. An agenda is available for public inspection at the ABC Building. Everyone is welcome to attend.

Links to Video of Meeting (small video) (large video)
WHS Math Program (All Courses)
WHS Grade 9 Honors Geometry Track
WHS Grade 9 Honors Advanced Algebra Track

Sixty eighth-grade girls at Westside Middle School presented to seventh and eighth-grade homerooms about becoming cyber allies during Digital Citizenship Week.  The girls have been working all year on how to be allies against bullying and cyberbullying.  They met with the Anti-Defamation League and participated in a three hour training session on being cyber allies called The Secret Life of Girls.  In homerooms, the girls presented two video clips, one from Omaha Town Hall and Common Sense Media and one from MTV's A Thin Line, both on cyberbullying.  They asked students about what they share online and how they can take a stand against cyberbullying.  The cyber allies shared tips on how to be a good digital citizen by guarding your privacy and wisely choosing the information you share.  Students then had the opportunity to sign a pledge that stated "I will stand connected against cyberbullying." Click here to see a slideshow on the presentations.

More than 32 career professionals from the community and 30 Westside Volunteer Council members contributed toward the success of Career Day at Westside Middle School. Eighth-grade students began their morning by learning about service hour opportunities required for graduation from Westside High School.  The keynote speaker and former Westside student, Pete Ricketts, spoke about the importance of pursuing students’ interests in addition to essential education and skills. Students previously completed a career interest survey that represented their top career clusters or categories identified by the Nebraska Career Education Model.  During the remainder of the morning, eighth-graders attended presenters representing their top career clusters.  This is one of many career education opportunities offered within Westside for students to recognize their career interests and obtain real-world knowledge from professionals working in the industry. 

Westside High School's Journalism Department including the Lance and the Shield took third place at the 2012 State Journalism Championships at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.  The one-day championship event is sponsored by the Nebraska School Activities Association, the Nebraska High School Press Association and UNL. Click here to see the individual results.

In celebration of Earth Day, all Swanson Elementary students had the opportunity to cast two votes for their Henry Doorly Zoo Adopt an Animal Project. Students voted on their top two choices out of animals like a penguin, clownfish, shark, frog and butterfly. Once the ballots were counted, the winners were a tiger and a polar bear. This was a project sponsored by the Swanson Student Leadership Team.

Each year Loveland Elementary students participate in Art Smart, a program that enriches student's learning through art-focused projects that complement Loveland's curriculum. These projects give the students hands-on opportunities to learn about, experience and apply art in many forms as it relates to culture, history, science, geography, math, reading, writing, nature and so much more. This year, the students created Garden Stepping Stones for the new Nature Path.  "We had 302 students each create an 8x8 garden stepping stone," said Amy Kelly, co-chair of Art Smart.  Each grade was represented by a different color. The program, which is presented annually is sponsored by Loveland's Community Club. Click here to see a slideshow of the Art Smart stepping stones.

Paddock Road's Student Council assembled May Day Baskets to deliver to the Rainbow House.  Destinee Rosemond, Anna Carrig, Christian Madsen, Casey Brattain, Lauren Kruger, Kelsi Staehlin and Virginia Jansen, helped delivered these May Day Baskets and received a tour of the Rainbow House.  The Carolyn Scott Rainbow House is open to anyone who has family receiving treatment at the Children's Hospital & Medical Center.  Created to be a home-away-from home, the Rainbow House is a free place for families who live 60 miles or more outside of Omaha to sleep, eat, do laundry, and more.  The baskets brought joy to everyone spending their May Day at the Rainbow House.

Paddock Road celebrated Earth Day with a whole week of Student Council events encouraging students to appreciate the world around them.  The week ended with the planting of a Colorado Blue Spruce tree purchased by Student Council for Paddock Road.  With the help of Tony, a representative from Earl May Nursery, and Mike, Paddock Road's engineer, the Student Council representatives dug a hole and planted the tree.  The Student Council named the tree Bruce the Spruce.  Click here to see a slideshow of the tree being planted.

At a ceremony in March, 83 WMS students were inducted into the newly formed National Junior Honor Society. Students selected for this honor were high academic achievers, displayed outstanding leadership both in the classroom and outside of the classroom, are members of a variety of school and extra-curricular activities and dedicated many hours to service within their communities. Along with the students application core teachers were asked to evaluate each student on the leadership they display in the classroom, their citizenship and their character in the classroom. Established in 1921 and 1929, respectively, the National Honor Society (NHS) and National Junior Honor Society (NJHS) are the nation's premier organizations established to recognize outstanding high school and middle level students.

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