Today at Westwood:

Westwood Schools
255 Fuller Street
Camilla, Georgia 31730
229-336-7992

info@westwoodschools.org

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westwoodschools.org.

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Westwood Schools Inc.,
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Overview

We are so glad you are visiting our website. In this section we will: give you an overview of Westwood, show you the Stanford 9 and SAT test scores that show our competitiveness nationally and cover new student admission policies.

Why Westwood?

At Westwood Schools we believe that every child is a winner. We passionately work towards helping every child find their niche. Some of the best aspects of Westwood include:

• Accredited College Preparatory School
  • It is very important to note that in order to receive HOPE Scholarships as well as admission to the strongest schools that a student must graduate from an accredited high school.
  • Because we are a college preparatory school, students who have a 3.0 average or higher are eligible for the HOPE scholarship.
  • Westwood is accredited by the Georgia Accrediting Commission.
• Strong Educational Program in Safe, Family Atmosphere
  • Westwood Schools is located on a beautiful 12 acre campus with well kept building and grounds that meet the highest safety standards. Westwood has three classroom buildings, state of the art technology and science labs, a multipurpose auditorium and stage, full gymnasium, state of the art weight room and athletic facility, top ranked track facility, baseball and softball fields, elementary playground, and a separate K-3 playground. Westwood has on staff two full time maintenance personnel.
  • At Westwood we have over thirty years of tradition. We are a family here at Westwood. The Grandparents Club, PTO, Boosters Club, and student organizations work together to make Westwood the best it can be.
  • We have been blessed with an excellent safety record and students that respect one another's privacy and the authority of the teachers and administrators on staff. Through character education and a strict discipline policy, students are taught high standards of behavior towards one another and the staff. You will know your child is safe at Westwood.
• Strong Standards of Discipline
  • At Westwood we adhere to a strict discipline policy and dress code. We believe these standards of discipline make our school a better learning environment and prepare students for success.
• Full Time Guidance Counselor
  • Jennifer Good is Westwood's full time guidance counselor. Mrs. Good works with college preparation and planning, career planning, college financial aid planning, emotional and disciplinary needs, as well as counseling responsibilities. Mrs. Good is a certified teacher with many years of classroom experience. She has continued to encourage students to reach their potential and find their dreams. We believe that it is absolutely essential to have a dedicated staff member focusing on the future of each student.
• Exceptional Test Scores
  • It is essential for parents to know that the longer a student is at Westwood, the higher their test scores tend to be. For example, the SAT average of students who were at Westwood before the 6th grade is currently a 1088 while the average of all students is a 1025. While we have much success with helping students accelerate their learning through the Learning Lab and our small class sizes, the longer a student is at Westwood, the higher their academic success tends to be particularly when a child has learned to read using our highly successful phonics based curriculum.
  • Westwood has had more STAR students in its region than any other school since the founding of Westwood. The school has gradated an exceptional number of National Merit Scholars and Award Recipients. This exceptional performance shows that although we have less students than our counterparts locally, that our school has a rigorous academic environment that allows us to compete with the best schools in the nation.
• AP English and AP Calculus (college credit)
  • Through the Advanced Placement (AP) program, students can graduate from Westwood with college credit in place. This saves time for the student and can save money for their parents. Our students have an extremely high pass rate on their AP exam. This is a great benefit with Westwood having the highest AP pass rate of surrounding schools.
• Small Class Sizes and Individual Attention
  • While individual class sizes vary, our goal is 15 students for every teacher. AP and high school classes are often even smaller. We view every child as a precious, beautiful person and our motto is "Every Child a Winner."
  • Our after school tutoring program is widely recognized as one of the best in our area. This tutoring is conducted under the close supervision of our nationally recognized learning lab.
• National Recognized Learning Lab
  • Westwood Learning Lab founder, Grace Adkins, has created a nationally recognized learning lab which employs seven full time staff members and a host of part time tutors.
  • Through this program every K-4, K-5, and first grader is tested one-on-one through the Search and Teach Program. This program is largely why every child at Westwood reads at the beginning of the first grade. Children are then assisted one-on-one with any weaknesses identified on a daily basis in the Learning Lab. Mrs. Adkins coined the term "Every Child a Winner."
  • Every student grades 6 through 9 work in the Lab on a daily basis with 20-25 minutes of tutoring and assistance on homework and the remainder of the time spent on enrichment. This enrichment pushes students beyond classroom work as they work on their level in vocabulary and mathematical skills. Our Learning Lab is seen as a national model as well as a resource for other local private schools, many of whom do not have such a facility.
  • Our Learning Lab has a thorough expertise of the major learning issues and works with classroom teachers to administer tests orally and other accomodations that must be made for those students with very real disabilities. Many students with such disabilities have gone on to become extremely successful.
• Fine Arts and Music Classes
  • All elementary students have weekly instruction in choral and musical skills.
  • The Drama Club creates an annual one act play production and other performances throughout the year.
• Computer Lab and Instruction Grades K-4 through 12
  • Westwood's Global Collaborative Projects have won International Awards for excellence in technology education. Including The Horizon Project (Finalist Edublog Best Wiki in Education 2007) and The Flat Classroom Project: (winner SIGTEL's Online Learning Award 2007; winner Taking IT Global Best Collaborative Learning Project 2006; winner Edublog Award for best Wiki 2006; included in Thomas Friedman's version 3.0 of The World is Flat).
  • The technology program and instructor have been cited in major publications including the Wall Street Journalthe Boston Globe, Cnn.com, ISTE's Reinventing Project Based Learning, Wired News, and other publications.
  • Technology Instructor, Vicki Davis, writes the award winning Cool Cat Teacher blog which has been nominated as an Edublog Finalist for Best Teacher Blog in 2006 and 2007. She was a finalist in Edutopia's totally wired teacher Award and received a Spotlight Award from the Center for Quality Teaching and Learning at Columbus State University.
  • Through Westwood's rigorous Computer Science program, students are not only taught keyboarding skills in fifth and eighth grades and Microsoft Office but receive instruction in software, hardware, programming, HTML and web page design, computer presentation skills, graphic design, and robotics. All students in the high school receive two to three years of computer science instruction. [See online student portfolios]
• After School Tutoring
  • Through our Learning Lab, students of all ages have after school tutoring available. This very successful program allows older students to tutor students that are struggling in a particular area. The tutors are supervised by Learning Lab personnel and teachers.
• Formal Athletic Programs for Grades K-3 - 12
  • Westwood has a formal physical education program for grades K-3 through 9 in addition to extra curricular sporting activities and free play time for the younger grades. This curriculum acknowledges the strong kinesthetic relationship between the body and the brain and uses activities to stimulate maximum development of both. Students have a great time while developing their brains.
  • Elementary students from grades 1 - 6 participate in the Junior Pro Basketball league held on campus. The fifth and sixth grades have a traveling team that competes against other private schools in the program.
  • Teams: Students in Grades 6 - 12 participate in football, basketball, softball, baseball, track, cross country, tennis, golf, competition cheerleading, and cheerleading teams. At Westwood with the exception of competition cheerleading, any student wishing to play a sport is allowed on the team. We strive to develop the interests of every child and believe that team sports develop life skills for success.
  • Facilities: Westwood has world class track and weight lifting facilities. Also on campus are a full gymnasium, hardcourt outside recreation area, two playgrounds for elementary and K-3 students, a baseball field, track field, and football practice field. Students are supervised closely when in these areas. We invite you to tour our campus by e-mailing us.
• Character Education Program
  • Students are instructed on a weekly basis on the character trait of the month. As a school founded on Christian principles, we understand that children have spiritual needs while maintaining a nondenominational approach. We know that the ultimate choices are left to parents in terms of religious beliefs and do not discriminate against students or parents of any faith. We do maintain our Christian beliefs and principles for the basis of our character education and our school. The character education program is sponsored by the Camilla Rotary Club and written by Westwood Grandparents.
• Formal Community Service Program
  • Students are taught that they must give to others in need. Every class at the school is required to perform at least one community per year with many classes conducting many more. After the tornado of 2003, the elementary school conducted a canned food drive and the high school students repaired homes and delivered water to workers.
• Mandatory Drug Testing Policy
  • Westwood is one of two schools in the state requiring students to participate in a mandatory drug testing program. Students from grades 6 - 12 are randomly tested several times throughout the year. We believe this gives students a strong "reason" to resist the peer pressure and parents a high comfort level. We believe strongly in teaching students to live a drug-free life. Parents of students from grades 6 - 12 must sign the full policy when submitting admission forms.
• Curriculum Director on Staff
  • At Westwood, academics are a top priority. Our curriculum director is constantly evaluating teachers, methods, and textbooks and bringing the latest proven techniques to the classroom to augment our traditional classical education. Our lower level curriculum stresses the fundamentals and phonics based reading principles. Our upper level classes include Advanced Placement and college preparatory courses that prepare students for success in college.
• Interaction with Students of All Ages
  • One of our favorite traditions are the Friday afternoon pep rallies for grades K-3 through 12th during football seasons. This is just one event that builds the strong esprit de corps of Westwood and provides interaction between all ages of students at the school.
• Extra Curricular Programs
  • Math Team, Quiz Bowl Team, Y-Club, National Honor Society, Student Government, Drama Club, Literary, MCPEP, 4-H, MCYAC, and even more activities!

Test Scores

Westwood continually has strong test scores. We believe it is because of our very strong phonics based reading program and our cumulative math curriculum which tests and retest concepts until they are learned and remembered. Westwood has consistently been a leading educational school where every child is a winner!

Our SAT prep program begins in the eighth grade and has been shown to increase student scores an average of over 80 points. The program begins in the ninth grade and continues until Fall of the Senior Year. It is an interdisciplinary program run by our Computer, English, and Math Departments.

New Students Admissions Policies

New students must take an entrance examination required by the school and have records and transcripts reviewed by Westwood's admission's committee before any of the above will be accepted. E-mail Paige Johnson for more information or to set up an interview.