2024-2025 Annual Review

Reflecting on the 2024-2025 School Year

The 2024–2025 school year was one of growth, renewal, and joyful learning at Westside. Our community honored longstanding traditions while embracing new experiences that enriched classrooms, performances, field trips, and school events. Throughout the year, students, faculty, and families brought our mission to life—thinking critically, acting with compassion, and learning in a joyful, supportive environment.

As I begin my first year as Head of School, I am incredibly excited to be part of this remarkable community. What makes Westside so special isn’t just the programs (though they are outstanding)—it’s the people. Our students are curious, creative, kind, and full of potential. Our educators are talented, thoughtful, and deeply committed. And our families are engaged, supportive, and passionate about learning. Being here, I can feel the joy, curiosity, and care that define Westside, and I am honored to help guide this community as we shape the future together.

This report celebrates the moments, achievements, and stories from last year that exemplify the spirit, collaboration, and excellence that make Westside a truly extraordinary place. 

I also want to extend my deepest gratitude to everyone who helps make Westside special every day—through gifts of time, talent, expertise, and financial support. Your dedication strengthens our community and empowers our students to thrive.

In community,

Dr. Daryl Wright

Head of School

Welcoming Dr. Daryl Wright as Head of School

During the 2024-2025 school year, Westside embarked on a thoughtful and collaborative search process to identify the next Head of School. After months of listening sessions, surveys, and interviews with community members, the Board of Trustees unanimously selected Dr. Daryl Wright to lead Westside into its next chapter. Dr. Wright brings deep experience as an educator and leader, a commitment to equity and inclusion, and a passion for cultivating communities where students thrive both academically and personally.

With Dr. Wright at the helm, Westside is well-positioned to continue its strong momentum by:

• Deepening implementation of the Strategic Plan to ensure excellence in academics, operations, and community life.
• Expanding alumni connections as we prepare to celebrate Westside’s 45th anniversary during the 2026-2027 school year.
• Growing experiential education opportunities, both locally and globally, so students can build real-world skills and broaden their perspectives.
• Continuing to model what it means to be an inclusive, innovative, and joyful learning community for every student and family.

Dr. Wright’s leadership marks an exciting new era for Westside, one that honors our history while embracing bold opportunities for the future.

New Mission and Vision Statements

Fall 2024, Westside School announced our new mission and vision statements that capture the heart of our community and our aspirations for the future. Developed by a committee of faculty, staff, trustees, and parents—and informed by input from students and school leadership—these statements reflect our shared values and goals.

Mission: Westside students learn to think critically and act with compassion in a joyful, supportive community.
Vision: Westside is committed to being a collaborative, inclusive school where learners discover their unique strengths, embrace challenges, and develop a passion for learning, in order to contribute positively to their world.

Our mission serves as a guiding north star for daily life at Westside, while our vision represents who we strive to become as a community. These statements will shape our work, ensuring that every student thrives academically, socially, and emotionally.

We are grateful to the committee members and all community participants whose thoughtful contributions made this work possible.

Teaching and Curriculum Highlights

New Faculty Curriculum Teams: All teachers participated in curriculum teams focused on advancing learning across key areas, including the arts, literacy, math, physical education, science, social-emotional learning, social studies, and world language. Each team collaborated to develop educational philosophy statements, design innovative learning opportunities, and deepen curriculum coherence across grades. By bringing together teachers from different disciplines, Westside strengthened cross-grade connections and ensured a more integrated, engaging, and thoughtful learning experience for all students.

Standards-based report cards provided families with clearer insight into student progress, highlighting growth in key academic and developmental areas. This approach helped parents understand not just what students had learned, but how they were developing critical thinking, creativity, and social-emotional skills over the course of the year.

Expanded social-emotional learning (SEL) groups and learning support ensured that every child’s growth was nurtured. By providing targeted guidance, mentoring, and small-group instruction, Westside helped students develop confidence, resilience, and the skills needed to thrive academically, socially, and emotionally.

Experiential Education: Westside reaffirmed its identity as a school of exploration and hands-on learning. Across the year, students enthusiastically participated in 22 school-wide field trips, connecting classroom concepts to real-world experiences and fostering curiosity, collaboration, and problem-solving. These outings ranged from local explorations to immersive cultural and scientific experiences, building both knowledge and confidence. The year culminated in the 8th grade trip to Costa Rica with Global Works, which provided students with an unparalleled opportunity to engage with new cultures, ecosystems, and global perspectives.

Community & Belonging

Enjoyed assemblies to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, Diwali, Día de los Muertos, Black History Month, Lunar New Year, Ramadan, and more, bringing the richness of global cultures into the Westside community. These celebrations allowed students and families to explore traditions, stories, and practices from around the world, fostering understanding, respect, and connection across cultures.

Launched adult affinity groups for BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ families, creating dedicated spaces for connection, support, and dialogue. These groups strengthened community ties and provided opportunities for shared experiences, learning, and advocacy within the school community.

Pursued the Welcoming Schools Seal of Excellence, deepening Westside’s commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB). Faculty and staff engaged in focused training and reflection to ensure that inclusive practices were embedded in classroom teaching and school culture.

Built stronger partnerships through the Westside Family Association, whose Fall Fest Spooktacular set new records for participation and engagement. Through this and other events, families, students, and staff came together to celebrate community, contribute their talents, and support the joyful, inclusive spirit that defines Westside.

This year was filled with important milestones that continue to strengthen Westside’s future:

• Secured refinancing with First Citizens Bank.
• Successful fall annual fund and spring Westside Together event
• Strengthened donor and alumni engagement, setting the stage for our upcoming 45th anniversary celebration.
• Enrollment growth reflects our strong community: 382 students enrolled in 2024–25, with 394 enrolled for 2025–26.

The Westside School Fund Benefits Every Student

Each fall, we invite the entire community to participate in the Westside School Fund. Last year's theme, The Magic of Us, celebrated the magic happens when we come together.

Westside School Fund Notable Numbers

• $325,398 Raised (Exceding the $300,000 goal!)
• 66% of Families Participated
• 87% New Families Participated
• $45,109 Raised Through Corporate Matching

 

These numbers reflect more than dollars—they demonstrate the strength, generosity, and commitment of the Westside community. Every gift, big or small, helps support student programs, faculty development, and initiatives that make Westside an exceptional place to learn and grow.

We are deeply grateful to everyone who contributes time, resources, and energy to make Westside possible, and we look forward to another year of coming together to support our students.

 

2024-2025 Financial Summary

Gratitude to Our Dedicated Supporters

Our deepest thanks to the trustees, faculty, staff, parents, alumni, and donors who shape Westside’s story each day. Together, we continue to ensure that Westside students not only learn with joy but leave prepared to shape the future with courage, creativity, and compassion.

2024-2025 Westside School Fund Donors

2024-2025 Westside Together Donors

Thank you, Sponsors!