Inside Westside
In 1947, three small rural Omaha school districts joined together to form one school district that would be guided by high principles of excellence, innovation, and community. For more than sixty years, Westside Community School District has used those principles to realize its mission “to meet the unique needs of all learners.”
Westside Community Schools (District 66) is a school district of “firsts,” and has a reputation for sparking innovative ideas. It is the home to Nebraska’s first special education program and was the first to receive national recognition for its full-inclusion approach for students with special needs. It was the first in the state to implement full-day kindergarten, elementary foreign language, and pre-school programs in elementary schools. In 2004 Westside was among the first in the country to provide all high school students with a laptop computer, and in 2008 the program was expanded to include eighth grade students.
Westside’s approach to staff compensation is also distinctive. Merit pay for teachers has been a part of the compensation system since 1971, and a program of differentiated staffing provides extended contracts beyond the school year to many teachers. The District pays tuition costs for graduate work and requires that all teachers earn a master’s degree within the first ten years of employment.
Community is the heart of Westside Community Schools. Ten neighborhood elementary schools, one middle school, and one high school serve more than 6,000 students, many of them second and third generation Westside graduates. At the same time, Westside has the largest number of option enrollment students (students who live outside district boundries) in the state. Parents of option students are drawn to the district by its reputation for excellence and innovation, as well as, by its small town, close-knit feel. The District has highly active parent organizations at every school and benefits from the support and involvement of the Westside Foundation and Westside Alumni Association.
Westside Community School District offers a highly regarded early childhood education program. The first early childhood center opened in 1968, and by1986 Westside’s program was declared one of twelve exemplary programs in the nation. Today the District’s elementary schools house two toddler programs, six half-day pre-school programs, and two full-day, five-day-a-week pre-kindergarten programs for four-year-olds.
The District’s K-6 program provides students with challenging, stimulating curriculum presented in enriched learning environments. Content standards in all curricular areas guide instruction and assessment. Students develop strong skills in math, language arts, science and social studies and receive weekly instruction in Spanish, music, art, and physical education. Technology integration is part of daily life in Westside’s elementary schools where the student to computer ratio is 2:1.
Westside Middle School, designated as a Blue Ribbon School by the US Department of Education in 1997, provides the District’s seventh and eighth graders with an exceptional core curriculum and robust electives, including up to two full years of German, French or Spanish. Team teaching, hands on learning, and technology integration are emphasized by staff who are devoted to meeting the academic, social, emotional and physical needs of early adolescents. Accelerated courses, gifted programming, and full inclusion special education services support the success of all students. A rich extracurricular program gets all students involved in a variety of sports, arts, and personal interest club activities.
Westside High School is home to one of the premiere college preparatory programs in the nation as evidenced by Blue Ribbon School awards in 1984 and 1996. Westside High School’s unique modular schedule helps students develop as independent learners and allows students to enroll in an additional semester of courses over the course of a four-year program. Technology integration is extensive. Educators from across the U.S. and foreign countries visit Westside’s model program of computer integration in instruction. Rigorous graduation requirements include demonstrations of proficiency in “Exit Outcomes.” In addition all students must meet an 80-hour community service requirement and complete a senior project. Approximately one-third of all graduates earn a commended diploma. A strong list of AP and dual enrollment courses help prepare approximately 85% of each class to attend college. A full complement of competitive sports, activities, and clubs engage students in school life and encourage leadership and personal development.
Students and teachers frequently receive local, state and national awards, and at all grade levels Westside students’ scores are among the highest on state and national measures of achievement. Parent, student, and community opinion survey data show high levels of satisfaction with the school district and its programming. Westside's rich history and continued commitment to excellence, innovation, and community provide the foundation for our students to be internationally competitive.
In 1947, three small rural Omaha school districts joined together to form one school district that would be guided by high principles of excellence, innovation, and community. For more than sixty years, Westside Community School District has used those principles to realize its mission “to meet the unique needs of all learners.”
Westside Community Schools (District 66) is a school district of “firsts,” and has a reputation for sparking innovative ideas. It is the home to Nebraska’s first special education program and was the first to receive national recognition for its full-inclusion approach for students with special needs. It was the first in the state to implement full-day kindergarten, elementary foreign language, and pre-school programs in elementary schools. In 2004 Westside was among the first in the country to provide all high school students with a laptop computer, and in 2008 the program was expanded to include eighth grade students.
Westside’s approach to staff compensation is also distinctive. Merit pay for teachers has been a part of the compensation system since 1971, and a program of differentiated staffing provides extended contracts beyond the school year to many teachers. The District pays tuition costs for graduate work and requires that all teachers earn a master’s degree within the first ten years of employment.
Community is the heart of Westside Community Schools. Ten neighborhood elementary schools, one middle school, and one high school serve more than 6,000 students, many of them second and third generation Westside graduates. At the same time, Westside has the largest number of option enrollment students (students who live outside district boundries) in the state. Parents of option students are drawn to the district by its reputation for excellence and innovation, as well as, by its small town, close-knit feel. The District has highly active parent organizations at every school and benefits from the support and involvement of the Westside Foundation and Westside Alumni Association.
Westside Community School District offers a highly regarded early childhood education program. The first early childhood center opened in 1968, and by1986 Westside’s program was declared one of twelve exemplary programs in the nation. Today the District’s elementary schools house two toddler programs, six half-day pre-school programs, and two full-day, five-day-a-week pre-kindergarten programs for four-year-olds.
The District’s K-6 program provides students with challenging, stimulating curriculum presented in enriched learning environments. Content standards in all curricular areas guide instruction and assessment. Students develop strong skills in math, language arts, science and social studies and receive weekly instruction in Spanish, music, art, and physical education. Technology integration is part of daily life in Westside’s elementary schools where the student to computer ratio is 2:1.
Westside Middle School, designated as a Blue Ribbon School by the US Department of Education in 1997, provides the District’s seventh and eighth graders with an exceptional core curriculum and robust electives, including up to two full years of German, French or Spanish. Team teaching, hands on learning, and technology integration are emphasized by staff who are devoted to meeting the academic, social, emotional and physical needs of early adolescents. Accelerated courses, gifted programming, and full inclusion special education services support the success of all students. A rich extracurricular program gets all students involved in a variety of sports, arts, and personal interest club activities.
Westside High School is home to one of the premiere college preparatory programs in the nation as evidenced by Blue Ribbon School awards in 1984 and 1996. Westside High School’s unique modular schedule helps students develop as independent learners and allows students to enroll in an additional semester of courses over the course of a four-year program. Technology integration is extensive. Educators from across the U.S. and foreign countries visit Westside’s model program of computer integration in instruction. Rigorous graduation requirements include demonstrations of proficiency in “Exit Outcomes.” In addition all students must meet an 80-hour community service requirement and complete a senior project. Approximately one-third of all graduates earn a commended diploma. A strong list of AP and dual enrollment courses help prepare approximately 85% of each class to attend college. A full complement of competitive sports, activities, and clubs engage students in school life and encourage leadership and personal development.
Students and teachers frequently receive local, state and national awards, and at all grade levels Westside students’ scores are among the highest on state and national measures of achievement. Parent, student, and community opinion survey data show high levels of satisfaction with the school district and its programming. Westside's rich history and continued commitment to excellence, innovation, and community provide the foundation for our students to be internationally competitive.
