Program Philosophy

1. Accelerated Classes : This program is available to all students. We offer an environment where all students are challenged mentally, supported emotionally, and integrated socially to his/her greatest potential. Those students who especially demonstrate high ability levels, complex intellectual curiosity and motivation; analyzes and interprets key social, cultural, and academic concepts and can make life applications are identified quickly by classroom teachers. If needed, extra testing will be made available.

Options presently employed by WPS :

• » Acceleration (placed into higher grade after consideration of social skills, psychological maturity, and comprehension levels.)
• » Compacting subject material and speeding up presentation of new material or presenting material in a more in-depth or abstract fashion: whichever appears to be most appropriate for the individual student or students.
• » Attention paid to comprehension versus rote imitation
• » Flexible classroom pacing individualized to meet the needs of the student
• » Some ability grouping.
• » Academic competition is presently available.
• » Avoidance of “busywork”; instead, implementation of research and self-directed learning.
• » New Student testing and appropriate grade placement based on academic comprehension, social development, and past records.
• » Core curriculum modification to reflect ability pacing, in-depth comprehension and complex questioning techniques, through an interdisciplinary approach.
• » Continual evaluation to determine if WPS is meeting the educational needs of each child.
• » Implementation of outside resources as may be necessary: (Example being that of a clearly competent student functioning at an underachieving level in need of professional analysis leading towards counseling, educational therapy, or alternative schools.)
• » Comprehensive and cooperative year to year attention given to maintaining an appropriate long-term (K-6) program with guidance towards an appropriate middle school placement after graduation.
• » Students are provided with opportunities for reflective thinking, problem solving, and critical evaluation.
• » WPS stresses concepts which develop opportunities for creative expression and encourage divergent thinking as well as convergent thinking.

2. General WPS Program: This traditional program is in itself accelerated to address the needs of challenging all students to an appropriate degree and encourage that student to achieve at their potential. To that end, WPS offers a challenging and comprehensive academic program supervised by specialists in the subject field. Teachers work as a committee under the leadership of the specialist to develop a challenging, but not overwhelming core curriculum that is carried over from year to year.

• » Students are monitored by teachers, administration, and even T.A.’s to determine that no student is lost, left behind, or unfocused.
• » Through the collaboration of all involved parties, including parents, students are continually assessed through homework, testing, and personalized attention as to their level of comprehension and achievement.
• » WPS strongly works towards the integration of various intellectual levels and ethnicities. Throughout this integration, care is given to create flexible learning groups; the so-called “average” student is encouraged to consistently step up their level of achievement, the setting of goals, gaining an understanding of other ethnicities while utilizing learning strategies afforded by the integration of all listed students.

3. Low Achieving, Problematic, and/or Challenged Student.

• » WPS is not a suitable school to meet the needs of many so-called “special education” students. However, labeling is avoided as attempts are made to assess (prior to the entry of any new student or the continuation of a present student) the individualized needs of that student and whether WPS has the resources to address those needs.
• » Our curriculum is set up for intervention programs for students who struggle in a specific subject or subjects.
• » WPS has referred students to LAUSD for special needs assessment.
• » Students have been referred to a “Crisis Intervention” specialist.
• » WPS has contact with both a qualified Educational Therapist and a Psychologist, who, at a sliding cost, are able to address the specific needs of students who may be struggling through psychological or learning disabled issues and advise WPS as to appropriate steps that should be taken.
• » Every effort is made to “mainstream” or incorporate struggling students into the general classroom through:
  • » Work with T.A.’s
  • » Individualized attention and time from teachers
  • » Extra tutoring either at a cost or offered free (through high school community service programs.)
• » WPS will weight the impact a special needs student may have on a classroom and if it appears to be a negative impact and/or WPS is not able to meet that student’s need, enrollment at WPS will be withdrawn.

4. ESL/ELL/Intensive English Program for International Students: Age groups range from five years old to twelve years old:

Courses range from one to twelve months and motivated students will achieve a satisfactory level of English proficiency/fluency within a three-month period. A One Year Program will see motivated students achieving a high level of proficiency/fluency in language, grammar, reading comprehension, and written skills.

Courses include:

• » Enrollment in an American classroom for math, language arts, history, geography, and grammar depending on the assessed language skills of the student
• » Individual to small group Intensive English Instruction 45 minutes daily (extra cost depending on group size)
• » Individual to small group academic tutoring 45 to 90 minutes daily. (Separate from English Instruction, again at extra cost depending on group size.)
• » Music, art, computer, physical education, and sports are all part of the standard program.
• » Options include: Theater, public speaking, handchimes, sports, academic competition, orchestra, and individual instrumental lessons among others.

Courses are available monthly, partial year, or full year.

Summer School is also available. All courses are geared towards the age and ability of each student.

Intensive English Emphasis:

• » English AND American language skills (incorporating idioms as part of the training).
• » Cultural training and social skills
• » Fast learning for motivated students.
• » Intensive focus on writing, reading, speaking clearly.
• » Accredited teachers.
• » Certification from an accredited school upon completion of partial and full year programs.

Limited certification upon completion of a one-month program.

Intensive English Coursework depending on level of tutoring needed and implemented.

• » Speaking without a strong accent
• » Proper grammar and vocabulary
• » Writing skills.

5. Tuition Assistance Program: WPS offers tuition scholarship assistance to member families and prospective families. Approximately 17% of WPS families are on tuition assistance. This amount falls exactly into the NAIS research showing that 17% of all students in independent schools throughout the nation are on tuition assistance accounting for 10% of tuition income. The WPS program operates on a “case by case” system and the following items apply:

• » Yearly reapplication must be made
• » 1040 must accompany application.
• » Student must be of good behavior and maintain good grades
• » Parent must serve on PTA and complete additional volunteer hours above normal requirements of full paying parents.
• » Classroom space must be available. (No full-paying student will be deleted.)
• » Resultant net tuition level must be accurately reported on budget records unless the fund is supplemented by Scholarship income placing it into a separate category.
• » No information is shared with other parents or faculty except that such a program is in practice
• » The student’s ability to contribute to and benefit from the school program.

As a member in the local community, WPS feels a responsibility to offer a space to deserving students whose families are unable to meet expenses. Each school has their own policy. WPS policy is based on the above factors, plus these considerations:

• » Interview with parents and student
• » Impact on the class and school academically and socially
• » Compliance with the directives of CAIS, NAIS, and relevant minority groups working with WPS.
• » WPS offers this program as a community service

Parents who wish to be considered for tuition assistance are encouraged to call the school office and request the “Tuition Assistance” packet. Parents are to fill this out in its entirety and return it and all relevant documents to the Head of School. Submission of these documents does not imply acceptance. Acceptance for one year does not imply acceptance for the next year.