K-12 Announcements

Strategic Plan Weekly-One-Question-Survey: This fall we are spending time capturing the thoughts and experiences of students, staff, and families as we develop our next Westlake Charter School Strategic Plan! The Weekly-One-Question-Survey is a follow up based on hundreds of responses we have received over these last three months through surveys and focus groups. CLICK HERE for our second Weekly-One-Question-Survey! Thank you for taking the time to share your story!

Triannual Family Survey: Our triannual Family Survey, not to be confused with the Strategic Plan Family Survey, is taken three times each school year. CLICK HERE to answer six questions to rate your family’s experience at Westlake Charter School during the 2025-26 school year. The deadline is Sunday, November 30th.

Fall Food Drive: Our Annual Fall Food Drive benefiting Joey’s Food Locker runs through Wednesday, December 3rd, concluding at our Annual Chili Cook-Off. Food collection bins will be placed in the reception area of each campus. Suggested donations are:

• Beans
• Rice
• Pasta
• Broth/stock
• Canned Vegetables and Chicken
• Cooking Oil
• Spices (salt, pepper, garlic powder, etc.)

Thank you for helping us give back to our Natomas community!

2026-27 Lottery Application Window – Open December 1st: Our 2026-27 lottery opens on December 1st, including our freshman, sophomore,  junior and senior classes at Westlake Charter High School! Current students do not need to fill out an application to continue their enrollment at WCS; however, siblings do need to fill out lottery applications to attend. Spread the word and encourage friends and family to visit www.JoinWestlake.com to apply today.

Thanksgiving Break: Both campuses will be closed for Thanksgiving Break Monday, November 24th through Friday, November 28th. We look forward to welcoming staff and students back on Monday, December 1st. Our BASE program will also be closed during Thanksgiving Break.

Attendance Challenge: HERE for the Hot Cocoa! Our Here for the Hot Cocoa Attendance Challenge is back!  From December 1st – 19th grade levels will be competing to win a hot cocoa celebration.  The grade level with the highest attendance percentage from K-5, middle school, and high school will win a hot cocoa celebration! More important than the hot cocoa is knowing that students who don’t show up for school regularly miss out on fundamental reading and math skills and the chance to build a habit of good attendance that will carry them into college and careers.   

Chili Cook-Off: We are excited for the upcoming, and always popular, Chili Cook-Off on Wednesday, December 3rd from 5:30 – 7:00 PM on our K-8 campus. We invite every family from Kindergarten to 12th grad to come sample chili and vote for their favorite! The winning grade level will take the Golden Spoon to display with pride in their classrooms. All of our families can take part in making the Chili Cook-Off a success. See below for details about the event and how to participate

• Each grade level, 6th – 12th, decorates one shared booth with several different chilis to sample.
• The cost is $5 per person.
• Families of four or more are just $20.00.
• Each bowl comes with a drink (while supplies last).
• Desserts can be purchased for $1.
• Kindergarten – 5th Grade: CLICK HERE to sign up to donate desserts, drinks, spoons, and/or napkins.
• 6th – 12th Grade: CLICK HERE to sign up to supply and/or serve chili, help with booth decorations, or setup/cleanup.

K-8 Announcements

After School Live – Explorer Enrichment Sign-ups: Our winter Explorer Enrichment programs are starting soon! CLICK HERE to see the catalog of Explorer Enrichment course offerings and information about how to sign up.

After School Live – Middle School Athletics – Volleyball season: Our ASLive Athletics Volleyball season will take place January 12th – March 20th. We have already had more than 70 middle school students sign up to participate! If your student wants to change their response, please email Alejandra at [email protected]. We will communicate more details in December. In the meantime, CLICK HERE to get a head start on completing the handbook and physical, and CLICK HERE if you would like to volunteer to coach! 

The Minute Challenge continues!  Students are taking part in The Minute Challenge, using Imagine Math — an adaptive online program that meets each student at their skill level and helps them grow in math. As they complete lessons, students can earn prizes, awards, and even donate to real charities. Families can support by encouraging about 45 minutes per week (K–2) and 60 minutes per week (3–8) on Imagine Math, and by asking students about their progress and goals.

9-12 Announcements

Upcoming Home Athletics:

• Monday, December 1st @ 4:00 PM: Home – Girls Varsity Basketball vs. Weston Ranch
• Monday, December 1st @ 5:30 PM: Home – Boys JV Basketball vs. Mira Loma
• Monday, December 1st @ 7:00 PM: Home – Boys Varsity Basketball vs. Mira Loma

“Every Minute Counts” Campaign: We’re excited to share that our Every Minute Counts campaign has kicked off at WCHS! This initiative supports students in being on time and ready to learn every class period. Each class can earn points by meeting our 90% on-time goal, and we’ll be celebrating classes and organizations that consistently show strong attendance and punctuality with fun prizes throughout the campaign. Thank you, families, for your continued partnership. Your reminders at home make a big difference. Every minute in class truly adds up to your student’s success!

Class of 2026 – Senior Reminders:  University of California (UC) and California State University (CSU) applications are due December 1st. While some CSU campuses may have later deadlines or may extend their deadlines, the priority deadline is December 1st and we encourage all students to submit by this date to keep every option available. 

Additionally, The deadline to order caps and gowns is Wednesday, December 10th.  CLICK HERE for more information.  CLICK HERE for the Class of 2026 website to stay updated with the latest news, resources, and additional materials throughout the school year.

2025-26 WCHS Yearbook: WCHS yearbooks are available now for $65.  Capture a year of unforgettable moments – CLICK HERE to order your yearbook today!

End of Fall Semester: WCHS’ fall semester will end on Friday, December 19th. Because WCHS operates on a block schedule, grades for all current courses will be final at the end of the semester. Our new semester will begin after the New Year on Tuesday, January 6th. Save the date for our Spring Semester Back to School Night on Wednesday, January 14th, where you will have the opportunity to meet teachers and learn more about your student’s classes for the upcoming semester.

Save the Date:

• Wednesday, December 3rd, 5:30 – 7:00 PM: Chili Cook-Off – K-8 Campus
• Friday, December 5th @ 8:30 AM: WAVE Coffee Talk – K-8 Library
• Friday, December 12th @ 6:00 PM: WAVE Movie Night – K-8 Cafeteria
• Wednesday, December 17th @ 6:00 PM: WAVE Volunteer Appreciation Event

WAVE Movie Night:  Join us on Friday, December 12th at 6:00 PM in the K–8 Cafeteria for a fun family night out! Doors open at 5:45 PM. We’re excited to announce this year’s feature film: Bad Guys 2! Students must be accompanied by an adult.

We heard your great feedback from last year, so we’re bringing back the same cozy cafeteria setup. Bring your blankets and pillows, get comfy, and enjoy a great movie with our Westlake community. Snacks and popcorn will be available! 🍫🍿You’re welcome to bring you own snacks, as well. CLICK HERE to RSVP for Movie Night, which is free of charge – your RSVP just helps us plan.

WAVE Volunteer Appreciation Event: Mark your calendars for Wednesday, December 17th from 6:00 – 8:00 PM! The location is TBD, but one thing is certain — we cannot wait to celebrate YOU.

Every Westlake family who has volunteered this year — in the classroom, at a WAVE event, or anywhere in between — is warmly invited. This night is all about expressing our deep gratitude for the energy, time, and heart you’ve poured into making Westlake such a special place for our kids and our community. 💙🧡

We’ll have food, beverages, and a Westlake swag raffle to say thank you. It’s also a wonderful chance to meet other volunteers and celebrate the spirit of volunteerism that keeps WAVE strong. We can’t wait to celebrate with you! 🎉

Call To Action: 🎬🌎🎉 Want to get involved with WAVE? We’ve got some amazing events coming up — Movie Night, International Festival, and Staff Appreciation Week! If you’d like to help make the rest of the school year a success, CLICK HERE to fill out a quick form and we’ll get you connected.

Logging Hours: If you’ve volunteered 30 minutes or more, please take a quick moment to CLICK HERE to log your hours. Whether it was helping in the classroom, supporting the Olympic Triathlon, Bingo Night, or the Fall Festival, every hour counts! Tracking volunteer time helps us meet our school’s charter commitments and shows the incredible impact our families make. It takes less than a minute — let’s see which grade level can log the most hours by November 30th!

Kudos: WAVE would like to highlight Amy Wall and other high school grade level leads.  They have stepped up to the challenge of helping WAVE and Westlake redefine what family engagement looks like at the high school level.  We appreciate all of the thought partnering and idea generation to continue to make Westlake Charter High School one of the best high schools in Sacramento!