Western Hills Academy

A WORD FROM OUR DIRECTOR

Western Hills Academy Families,

We are thrilled to begin a new school year and extend a warm welcome to all our new families who have joined our amazing community. Thank you for choosing Western Hills Academy for your child's academic journey. We are truly blessed to have you with us.

We appreciate everyone who attended Meet the Teacher Night. It was wonderful to see so many of you taking the time to connect with your child's teacher. A special thank you to Mrs. Meza, a dedicated member of our Parent Teacher Organization (PTO), for creating the beautiful back-to-school balloon display. We had a fantastic turnout! We would also like to express our gratitude to the Davis Family for sponsoring the "Card My Yard" display on the first day of school. It was a great way to kick off the school year!

Student safety is a top priority. Please drive carefully in and out of the school campus. Attached, you will find a revised Parking and Carline map for your reference.

Please take a moment to review the revised Academy Handbook for important policies and procedures. This year, our Early Learners are required to wear uniforms and will be participating in Parent-Teacher Conferences.

Our teachers have been attending various professional development sessions throughout the summer to ensure they provide the highest quality education. To help your child succeed, please ensure they have a well-balanced breakfast and arrive on time each day. Teachers will be conducting beginning-of-year assessments from August 19-22. If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to your child's teacher to schedule a conference. Please note that drop-off/pick-up times are not appropriate for these conversations.

As a reminder, all medications must be turned in to the office with a current prescription label and a completed Medication Administration Form.

If you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to reach out. My door is always open, and I will respond to messages promptly. I am blessed to serve you throughout this Academic School Year.

Blessings,
Mrs. Mendoza, WHA Director

Dear Parents, we’re excited to invite you to the upcoming PTO meeting! It will be held in the meeting room inside the gym, and we’d love for you to join. This is a great opportunity to get involved, share your ideas, and connect with other parents. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to Jeannie at (714)328-4263. We look forward to seeing you there Wildcat parents!

Meet the Teacher Night!

We look forward to seeing you all tonight at the Meet the Teacher event from 5:30 PM to 7:00 PM!

Just a few notes for the evening:
- Please enter through the Stuart Family Life Center main entrance at 524A Thunderbird.
- Be sure to check in with Mrs. Elissa Espalin at the entrance.
- Note that no supplies will be accepted this evening.

During the event:
- Check in with all of your child’s teachers, fill out your card, and earn a $5 voucher towards tuition!
- Be sure to stop by our store table to get your school spirit gear, including pencils, bags, water bottles, and more!

We can’t wait to see you all this evening and look forward to an amazing year ahead! Let’s make it great together, Wildcats!

Western Hills Academy is looking for dedicated individuals to join our janitorial team! If you’re interested or know someone who is, please visit our website under the CONTACT US page for more details. Reach out to us for this exciting opportunity and join a great school community!

As we conclude Week 7 of our summer camp, we wanted to express our heartfelt gratitude for making this final week so memorable. Our music-themed activities were a fantastic way to wrap up the season, bringing joy and creativity to everyone involved. Thank you for an incredible summer, and we look forward to seeing you all in the coming school year!

Week 6 of our Summer Camp was a huge success, with kids enthusiastically participating in cooking activities like baking and creative food art. It was a delightful blend of hands-on learning and fun. Now, in Week 7, we've transitioned to a focus on music, to end the summer on a high note!

The school supply drop-off window is open from the 15th through the 25th! To ensure a smooth transition, please call to schedule an appointment during office hours from 8 am to 4 pm. For a detailed list of required supplies for your child, please visit our website!

Week 4 of our Summer Camp: Basketball was a slam dunk, with kids eagerly participating in dribbling drills, shooting practice, and fast-paced games. It was an exciting week of skill-building and fun. Week 5 has shifted to cooking camp, with campers exploring new recipes, learning kitchen skills, and discovering the joys of creating delicious snacks together. 🏀

Happy 4th of July Wildcats! Celebrating freedom, unity, and the values that make our country great. Enjoy a safe and joyful Independence Day!

Week 3 of our summer camp reading program was fantastic! The campers reenacted stories, explored new books, and showcased their writing skills. Now, we're excited to kick off VBS Week with WHUMC! Get ready for fun, faith, and fellowship.

We are proud to announce we have received full accreditation by the National Association of Private Schools! With this change in status please be on the lookout for exciting changes here at the Academy. We look forward to the new opportunities that are now open to us as an accredited institution.

Week 2 of our Summer Camp was a huge hit, with kids enthusiastically participating in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) activities like the egg drop challenge, architectural tower building, and engaging experiments. It was a blast of hands-on learning and fun. Week 3 has transitioned to a focus on reading and writing, with campers immersing themselves in literature and writing.

Happy Father’s Day to all of our wonderful dads at Western Hills Academy! We had an incredible time celebrating you with our "Donuts with Dad" event, complete with a fun jungle theme. Your presence and participation made the day extra special. Thank you for all that you do! 🍩

Week 1 of our Summer Camp was a huge success! The kids had an amazing time participating in various creative activities. They crafted wonderful paper mache projects, created self-portraits, and engaged in numerous fun-filled experiences. It was truly a blast! Looking ahead, we are excited to dive into Week 2, which is dedicated to STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math).

As we wrap up another fantastic school year, we wanted to share some joyful moments from our final days together. Our students had a blast celebrating with a visit from the Kona Ice Truck, courtesy of our amazing PTO. The refreshing treats were a perfect way to cool down and enjoy the sunny days. We also had a splashing good time at our annual end-of-the-year pool party! The laughter smiles, and fun times in the water were the perfect way to celebrate all the hard work and accomplishments of our students this year. Have a fantastic summer, Wildcats! We look forward to seeing many of you back next year for more learning and fun! ☀️ 🕶️

Get ready to relive the wonderful memories of this school year with the Western Hills Academy 2023-2024 yearbook, created by our very own talented 5th & 6th grade class! This special edition features:

- Exciting school events
- Candid moments and more
- Over 40 pages of classroom highlights from our ELC all the way through our 6th grade class

Secure your copy now and keep these cherished memories forever. The last day to pre-order is Wednesday, May 29th. Don’t miss out on this keepsake! Order now using the following link!

Happy Mothers Day! Feliz Día de las Madres! We wanted to extend our deepest gratitude for joining us in celebrating Mother's Day at our fiesta. It was a joyous occasion, filled with love, laughter, and appreciation for all the wonderful mothers, grandmothers, caregivers, and teacher-mothers in our Wildcat school community. Your dedication, love, and support do not go unnoticed, and we are incredibly grateful for all that you do.

We wanted to extend our heartfelt gratitude to each and every one of you for your incredible support during Teacher Appreciation Week. Thanks to your generosity and hard work, our teachers felt truly valued and appreciated. The PTO went above and beyond in organizing a memorable week filled with delicious treats, meals, and beautiful orchids from each class. Additionally, it was heartwarming to see our students wearing their favorite teachers' colors and creating beautiful handmade art to show their appreciation. We are immensely grateful for your efforts. Together, we showed our teachers just how much we love and appreciate them. Thank you for being a part of this wonderful celebration and for all that you do to support our school community. 🍎

Join us for a fun-filled evening at our PTO sponsored McDonald’s fundraiser night on Monday, May 13th, from 3-6 pm at the 6101 N Mesa location. Bring the whole family for an exciting time with face painting and an exclusive opportunity to meet iconic characters like the Hamburglar, Grimace, and Birdie! It’s a fantastic chance for some family fun while supporting our school. We hope to see you there!

We’re excited to announce our end-of-year Pool Party, scheduled for May 31st from 9 am to 1 pm! Please mark your calendars as the academy will be closed for the day. All families are invited to join us for a fun-filled event. This is a potluck gathering, so please bring a dish to share! We look forward to celebrating together as a community!

A Message from the Western Hills Academy PTO:
Teacher Appreciation week! (May 6th-9th)
We are inviting all Wildcat Families in showing our TEACHERS some love, with small acts of kindness.

The WHUMC monthly Bible Verse is here! Children who can recite this verse from memory will get a prize from the WHUMC Treasure Chest of goodies! You can share the verse in Kids Church, WHA Chapel, or by sending Julie a video via text!

Just a friendly reminder that our Mother’s Day Fiesta Performance is tomorrow, May 3rd, at 8:45 am in the gym. Please ensure that your child arrives on time and is ready to showcase their talents in their respective attire. Let’s make this a memorable event for all the wonderful mothers in our community!

We are thrilled to share with you the wonderful celebration of Día de los Niños in collaboration with the UTEP W.M. Keck Center! As part of the festivities, we had the pleasure of hosting an educational and interactive experience for our students, where they engaged with 3D printers. The joy and curiosity on their faces were truly inspiring! We are so grateful to have such amazing students here at Western Hills Academy!

We wanted to extend our heartfelt gratitude to the entire PTO team for organizing such a fantastic Spring Fling Workshop! It was an enriching and memorable event for everyone involved. A special thank you goes out to Anthony and Connor from Fino's Rainforest Exotic Pets for providing an interactive and educational experience that truly captivated our students. With their fascinating creatures and insights, an extra layer of excitement was added to our Earth Day celebration, enriching our students' understanding of the natural world and its inhabitants. We're also thrilled to announce that this event marked the conclusion of our Earth Day celebration, and it was wonderful to see our students actively participating while wearing their charming garden attire as they worked diligently in the garden.

We continued our Earth Day celebrations as our students wore their comfiest PJs to put trash to rest! 🌎💤 Let's keep the spirit alive by making sustainable choices every day. Thank you to all those who joined us for our PTO Chick-fil-A fundraiser!

We're excited to share some highlights from our ongoing Earth Day festivities at the school. Our students proudly sported their hats, symbolizing their deep commitment to our beloved Mother Earth. In addition, we're thrilled to announce the winners of our bookmark decorating competition. Taking the top spot is the talented Leeahni D., closely followed by Kiara I. and Ethan L. typed for second, and tying for third place are the amazing Aaliyah M. and Haven S.! We're bursting with pride at their imaginative designs and hard work. Each of these exceptional students will receive a Menchies gift card along with a free book of their choice. A big round of applause to all the students who participated in these activities. Thank you for being such incredible stewards of our environment!

Our students embraced the spirit of Earth Day by wearing sunglasses to "see the world through eco-friendly lenses." Seeing them understand the importance of viewing our planet from a sustainable perspective was a joy. Our Pre-K students had a magical moment as they released their butterflies into their garden and even extended the invitation to our Kindergarten classes. Witnessing their excitement and wonder as they watched these beautiful creatures take flight was heartwarming. These activities fostered a deeper connection to nature and provided valuable learning experiences for our students about the importance of environmental conservation!

We're thrilled to share with you some wonderful moments from our Earth Day celebrations! Our students rolled up their sleeves and got their hands dirty, engaging in some fulfilling gardening activities. We couldn't have done it without the generous contributions and support from our Wildcat community. A special thank you goes out to Mrs. Komorowski-Garcia for her generous donation of the beautiful flower bed adding a touch of vibrant color to our school grounds. We also extend our heartfelt gratitude to Mrs. Franco for her invaluable assistance with the gardening activities and for her efforts in acquiring supplies from Home Depot and Sunset Gardens. Thank you once again for your continued support and involvement in our school community. 🌎

Mark your calendars for Thursday, April 25th, 2024, from 3:00 - 8:00 pm! Join us at Chick-fil-A Mesa St. for a great time! Plus, you’ll support Western Hills Academy by dining in or using the app! A percentage of the sales will be donated to our school. If placing a mobile order is more convenient, simply enter WHA2024 through the app. See you there Wildcats!