Happy Holidays from Western: CFA!

Happy Holidays from Western: CFA

Greetings Western School of Science and Technology: CFA team!

The holidays are such a joyous - and busy! - time of year. We have twelve days of school left until the holiday break, and here's just a little bit of what's going on here at Western: CFA this holiday season:

12th grade will be our next adventure;
11th graders are studying for their first ACT next semester;
10 sports teams, several of whom have placed in the top three in their statewide division;
9 big-ticket items were generously donated by our partners at Support My Club to benefit our athletic programs;
80 students raised $300 to support our sister school, Lake Lure Classical Academy: CFA, during a recent fire that threatened campus;
7th graders are visiting Arizona State University Downtown to gain a taste of the college experience;
6 college visits by Warriors this year;
5 days of Re-Teach & Enrich, where students can raise their grades or participate in enrichment mini-camps over the winter break;
435 students are currently at Western: CFA, double the number we served just two years ago;
3 staff members have spoken at statewide leadership conferences about our best practices this semester;
$200 tax credits - click here to support our Arizona tax credit donation campaign!
1st place highest high school AzMERIT scores in Maryvale!

Thanks for your support in 2016, and we're looking forward to your continued support in the upcoming year!

All the best,

Peter Boyle
Founding School Director

Support Student Achievement through Amazon Smile!

Start or continue your holiday shopping with @amazonsmile! When you shop on AmazonSmile, Amazon will make a donation to Western School of Science and Technology. These donations will support student achievement and allow us to continue providing a high quality education option to low income students in West Phoenix's Maryvale neighborhood.

It's simple! Go to SMILE.AMAZON.COM and select Western School of Science and Technology as your charity and shop as you normally would on Amazon. Click here to shop now.

STEM Robots

9th-grade students in Mr. Ryan's STEM Engineering class applied their knowledge of simple machines and hydraulics to construct hydraulic robot arms! The students used syringes, water, tubing, wood, hardware, and power tools to create their own mechanical designs and then operated their robot arms to lift and transport a 12 oz soda can up and over a 15-inch wall. It was so exciting to see how everyday items could be used together to create powerful new inventions. See more robots.

#HourofCode

Students in Mr. Parrish's Website Design course celebrated Computer Science Week during #HourofCode. Using free tools from Tynker and Code.org, available to anyone, Warriors expanded their computer coding knowledge through interactive games and problem solving. While Computer Science Week is over, it is never to late to learn how to code. See more students in action here.

Now Accepting Donations Online!

Help us in our mission to become the first "A" rated high school in the Maryvale neighborhood by providing needed funding for extracurricular activities, athletics, clubs, and field trips through the Arizona Education Tax Credit. The Arizona Education Tax Credit Program allows couples to donate up to $400 and single taxpayers up to $200 each year to Western School of Science and Technology: CFA and receive a dollar for dollar tax credit. For the 2016 tax year, donations must be received by April 15, 2017. In addition, we are a federal 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit so you can also deduct the contribution from your personal federal income tax obligation.

Click here for more information on The Arizona Tax Credit Program.

"Put your heart, mind, & soul into even the smallest acts. This is the secret of success." - Swami Sivananda

Western School of Science and Technology


Rationale There are zero high schools with an "A" rating from the Arizona Department of Education in Maryvale. Each year in the United States, there is demand for 140,000 computer science and engineering jobs, but our schools are graduating 40,000 - a discrepancy of 100,000 skilled graduates.	Mission We exist to transform Maryvale by improving low-income west Phoenix students' opportunities for advancement in the global technological economy by providing needed preparation for the academic rigors of college graduation leading to career success. Continue Reading	Vision We will provide a proof point in the Maryvale neighborhood that low-income underserved youth can access the educational skills necessary to be successful in the new economy, be prepared for college persistence and graduation, and become integral parts of Arizona's new global economy. We aim to be the first "A" rated high school in the Maryvale neighborhood.

Meet the Team: John Larson, Social Studies Teacher

Alma Mater: Temple University (BA)

Educational Interests: Analyzing historical primary and secondary documents, community-relevant coursework, Socratic seminars, debates, and historical inquiry.

Community Interests:

Volleyball, basketball, and hiking.

Favorite Color: Red

Little-Known Facts: Mr. Larson gave two speeches at Temple University's Walk-a-mile-in-her-shoes in 2012 and 2013.

John Larson serves as the 8th-Grade Social Studies and World History teacher as well as the Volleyball and Boy's Basketball coach for Western School of Science and Technology: A Challenge Foundation Academy. Mr. Larson engages students in historical debates where students are asked to evaluate and analyze multiple primary and secondary sources in order to respond to and debate some of history's most contested topics. He works to ensure students develop critical thinking skills that are necessary in high school, college, and in life by challenging students to consider multiple perspectives and points of view. Mr. Larson seeks to integrate Western: CFA's core values by having students recognize the core values of Achievement, Innovation, Responsibility, Respect, and Relevance in their coursework and in the classroom. Furthermore, Mr. Larson seeks to apply these core values to his athletes by having them respect their teammates, opponents, and officials, take responsibility for grades and attending games, create innovative strategies and adjustments in game, learn relevant life lessons, and achieve personal growth and success on the court.

Join our team!

We need you to join our growing team! As we expand, we are looking for teachers to fill new positions in all subject areas for the 2017-2018 school year, including:

High School and Middle School Mathematics
High School and Middle School Science
High School and Middle School English Language Arts
High School and Middle School History
Special Education

Here's what we're primarily looking for in a founding teacher:

Strong commitment to our college-bound mission and core values (Achievement, Innovation, Respect, Responsibility, Relevance)
Ownership of student learning and achievement
Dedication to continuously improving teaching practice
Passion for working with families living in low-income urban Phoenix communities
Desire to collaborate and innovate with team members implementing an integrated STEM- and blended learning-based academic program
Initiative and desire to be part of a close school founding team

Email ckaplan@wsst.school or visit our Online Application to Apply