WAIS Yearbook Distribution

The official 33rd volume of the Westchester Yearbook, Miacis, will be distributed Wednesday during advisory. Students who've ordered a book will be able to pick one up from the Balcony Mac Lab. If a student was unable to pick up a book during the scheduled time, they may see Mr. Wegscheid during lunch or after school. 

Last year's book, the 2015 Miacis Yearbook, was recognized as Honorable Mention by Balfour Publishing. About 15% of books receive recognition each year. This is the third MIACIS yearbook in a row to receive recognition from our publisher. The previous two years, 2013 and 2014, were also both recognized by our publisher. 

We always order extra books, and students who forgot to order a book can purchase while supplies last. Rarely do we have books still available the following year. For more information, visit the Miacis page on our website.

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WAIS Senior Walk

The Westchester Academy graduating class of 2016 recently visited Wilchester Elementary. With Westchester students coming from all over the Spring Branch district, some of the class of 2016 attended Wilchester for elementary.

The Wilchester Elementary students cheered, waved, and gave high fives as WAIS Graduates walked through the campus. The graduates returned to WAIS, touring both the upper and middle school building before taking a class photo in front of the upper school arches.

Photo at Top by WAIS IB MYP Student Victoria Ramon.

Video of Senior Walk by WAIS IB MYP / Guthrie Student Eduardo Hernandez.
Footage by Faculty Member Shaun Wegscheid and Student Eduardo Hernandez.
Photography by WAIS IBDP Candidate Santiago Moreno and IB MYP Student Victoria Ramon.

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Kevin Dikdan - WAIS & Wilchester Graduate

Before attending WAIS, some students first attend at Wilchester Elementary- just across Yorkchester. Some students may go from kindergarten through 12th grade and just transition once from the elementary campus on the east side of Yorkchester, to the 6th-12th secondary campus on the west side of Yorkchester.

Kevin Dikdan is one such student who spent his elementary years at Wilchester before attending WAIS. Kevin participated in a video interview with Spring Branch Communications Department after the event, shown below.

Video Interview of Kevin Dikdan by SBISD Communications Department.

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WAA Scholarships Awarded

The Westchester Alumni Association awarded six Westchester Academy International School graduating seniors $1000 each at the Westchester Awards Night on Tuesday, May 17.

 We are very proud to recognize the Class of 2016 winners! 

• Zeynep Dikmen 
• Jon Austin Lim 
• Shukri E. Mahaley 
• Joshua Tyler McCune 
• Emily Daniela Navejar 
• Nancy Araceli Uroza 

Congratulations to the recipients! 

Applicants were evaluated on academic merit, ACT or SAT scores, extracurricular activities, awards, and community service. Since 2007, the Westchester Alumni Association Student Scholarship Fund* has awarded $60,000 to 60 deserving, college bound Westchester Academy International School graduating seniors.

 *Donations to the scholarship fund are accepted all year from Westchester alumni and corporate sponsors. To make your donation to the scholarship fund please visit www.westchesterwildcats.com and click on Scholarship Donation.

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News on State Funding for Education

The SBISD School Zone has recently shared several articles related to school funding in the state of Texas. A majority of district in the State, Spring Branch included, have great concern with the current funding method and how it impacts their ability to provide for the students and families they serve.

An excerpt of each of the three articles is provided below, with links to the full articles.

Texas Supreme Court Upholds School Funding System

From the Texas Tribune:

( . . . )
Two-thirds of Texas school districts sued the state after the Legislature cut $5.4 billion from the public education budget in 2011. 

Their lawyers argued the state's method of funding public schools was unconstitutional on a variety of grounds — that the Legislature had failed to provide districts with sufficient funding to ensure students meet the state's increasingly difficult academic standards; that big disparities had emerged between property-wealthy and property-poor school districts; and that many school districts were having to tax at the maximum rate just to provide a basic education, meaning they lacked "meaningful discretion" to set rates. That amounts to a violation of a constitutional ban on a statewide property tax.
( . . . ) 

Read the full article on the SBISD School Zone.
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Preliminary Budget Built on Cost Efficiencies

( . . . )
Under the state’s “recapture” law, also known as Robin Hood, the school district is considered property-wealthy, which will require state payments to double from $33 million to $66 million, and then go up to more than $90 million. 

Over three years, SBISD’s estimated Robin Hood payments to the State of Texas – not students or teachers in SBISD – are projected to skyrocket to a projected $190 million.
( . . . )

Read the full article on the SBISD School Zone.

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Texas Supreme Court Says Current School Finance System Meets Constitutional Standards

From the Texas Tribune:

( . . . )
“This decision represents a dark day for Texas school children, especially given the Legislature’s repeated failure to adequately fund our schools,” Mr. Trachtenberg said. “Given the importance of education in the 21st Century economy, Texas simply cannot afford to be bringing up the rear among the states in financial support of public education.”  

Added Mr. Turner: “We believe the trial court’s conclusion was correct: schools do not have the resources—or the local control over their tax rates—to meet the standards set forth in the Texas Constitution. Unfortunately, the Supreme Court justices did not agree. At this point, our districts can only hope that the Legislature will reverse course on its own, and make the changes needed to improve our system.”
( . . . )

Read the full article on the SBISD School Zone.

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Senior Signing @ WAIS

The auditorium at WAIS filled with students and families to hear this year's graduating class announce the college and universities they'll attend. Candidates for graduation also announced career fields they will pursue through their studies.

Most students declared enrollment into in-state schools, but there were a number of out-of-state and several out-of-country schools as well. Schools included University of Houston, Texas A&M, Houston Baptist University, Sam Houston State University, Trinity University, University of St. Thomas, University of Alabama, University of Virginia, Columbia University, Kettering University, and others. Some students will directly enter the military, and others will first earn an Associate Degree at a junior college, like the Lone Star College and Blinn College, before transferring to a four-year program.

Career fields of interest for this year's graduating class included engineering, business, journalism, medicine, psychology, computer science, graphic design, education, forensics, military, and a multitude of others.

Photos by WAIS IBDP student Santiago Moreno.

Miacis recognized by Balfour Publishing

Volume 32 of the Miacis, the 2014/15 edition of Westchester Academy's annual student publication, was recognized by publisher Balfour Yearbooks. Our publication will be listed for Honorable Recognition in Balfour's 30th edition of the Yearbook Yearbook. Only a bit over 15% of publications are recognized in Balfour's Yearbook Yearbook. "We honor the best of the best in this edition of Yearbook Yearbook," editor Marilyn Scoggins.

Created by WAIS yearbook students, Mallika Dargan and Nancy Tran of the class of 2015 served as editors and planned the creative direction and style of Miacis vol. 32. The books visual theme focused on geometric elements including use of low-poly illustrations, and featured larger pictures than previous editions of the Miacis. The cover features a minimalist design with a soft gradual fade and the title debossed. The cover was designed by Mallika Dargan, Nancy Tran, and Savannah Villarreal. WAIS faculty Shaun Wegscheid served as yearbook advisor.

In the past five years, this is the fourth edition of the Miacis to be recognized in Balfour's Yearbook Yearbook.