Westlake Christian Academy

Grayslake kindergarten, elementary, junior high and high school academy providing Christian families with private academic education.

(847) 548-6209   275 South Lake Street Grayslake, IL

Giving

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Donate Now

Did you know that no family pays the full cost of educating a child at Westlake Christian Academy? In addition, 45% of Westlake families receive need-based tuition assistance and benefit from the generosity of people like you.

You can make a difference in a student’s life by donating to Westlake’s Tuition Assistance Fund. Your donation makes it possible for students to receive a high quality Christian education at an affordable price. 

As a ministry, Westlake Christian Academy walks by faith, depending on God to use his people to cover the gap between what it actually costs to provide an education and what some of our families can pay. Thank you for helping us to meet the needs of these families!

Click here to Donate Now:

Donate Now

Diversity Focus Group

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One of our core values is Unity in Diversity, and given the cultural unrest this summer we are making a concerted effort to maintain this value.  There is a group of teachers meeting on Friday mornings who are working on ways to ensure that diversity is reflected in our materials, celebrated in our classrooms, and valued in our relationships. 

At the same time, a group of parents and students met this summer to discuss any problems or circumstances related to diversity that the school leadership might need to address.  In response to all the social unrest we have witnessed during the spring and summer of 2020, we have gathered a small group of parents, teachers, and students to address this issue. 

Our desire is to listen first–to determine in what ways Westlake might be able to do a better job of celebrating the diversity among us, treating one another with respect, and training our students to love and respect others.  After sharing concerns and personal experiences, we hope to make recommendations to the faculty and staff of things that could be done to improve our school in this area. 

Anyone in our school community who is interested in helping with this effort is welcome to attend.  We are having another meeting of this focus group on Tuesday, October 27 at 7pm.  If you are new to the Westlake community but would like to join the conversation, you are officially invited.  We will be discussing suggestions for how to help our students develop this core value.  Please register here, if you plan to attend on October 27.

High School Preview

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**POSTPONED due to new IL restrictions**

Are you wondering what high school looks like at Westlake? Do you have questions about what courses we offer and what athletic programs are available?  Are you wondering if this would be a good fit for your student?

This event is for you!  On Tuesday, November 17th at 7:00 PM, Westlake will be opening its doors to all current WCA 8th graders and any prospective students looking for a future at Westlake Christian Academy. We’ll tell you a little bit about our school, talk courses and college readiness, share details about the trips and the special activities in which our students participate, and answer any questions you may have.

The program will be held in the gym, with tours available for prospective students. Face coverings and temperature checks are required for everyone who enters the building.

All of the specific details are broken down below. We hope to see you there!

Please take a moment to register below. We’ve included a section in the form for any questions you may have ahead of time.

Who is this for?

  • Current WCA eighth graders and their families AND
  • Anyone interested in attending high school at Westlake (2nd semester of 2020-21 or for 2021-22)

What should I expect?

  • Our Principal, Mrs. DeReus, will share a little bit about Westlake and our radically different definition of the good life,
  • our guidance counselor & teacher, Mr. Flemming, will discuss our high school program and college readiness,
  • then our StuCo leader, Student Activities director, and teacher, Mr. Lovelace, will tell you all about the cool trips and activities our high school students get to enjoy.

What if I have questions?

  • We will have our high school teachers present to talk about
    • what do expect in their class,
    • what courses are available,
    • and options for dual-credit college classes.
  • Our Athletic Director will also be available to discuss varsity sports
    • Cross Country,
    • Soccer,
    • Basketball,
    • and Volleyball.

Want some perks for attending?

  • Free Dress Down Pass for every WCA 8th grader who attends
  • Extra Free Dress Down Pass for each friend (not a current WCA student) you bring
  • Entry to a Drawing for a free spirit wear shirt
  • Free Snacks provided

Parenting Pivot Challenge

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Why are so many parents getting it wrong when it comes to raising strong, confident, and Christ-centered teens?
It’s not what you think…Most people think the key to raising teens who love Jesus, make good decisions, and are heading in the right direction with their lives is all about protecting them from all the bad stuff in the world…

But the truth is, if your plan is just to shelter your teens until they’re adults you’re simply delaying the inevitable…
It’s like sticking your fingers into the holes of a sinking boat and hoping you can row to the shore before you sink!

What if there was a better way?

What if parents could actually walk shoulder to shoulder with their kids through their teen years and raise them to view the world through an ACTUAL Gospel lens?

What if they were able to critically navigate issues like:

  • Hyper-sexualized culture
  • Relationships and dating
  • Technology distractions & interruptions
  • Distance/online education
  • Cyberbullying
  • Increasing rates of depression & anxiety
  • Issues related to current events

… with a biblical worldview that was unshakable?

We believe they can, but it’s going to take parents who are willing to shift from the way things USED to be to the way things NEED to be!
That’s why we’re excited to invite you to join us and the world’s leading voices and experts for the Parenting Pivot Challenge!
Starting October 8th we’re hosting a FREE 14-Day Challenge that is designed to help pivot your parenting so you don’t have to feel like your plugging holes in a leaky boat and hoping for the best.

Instead, we want you to become the confident, faith-filled parent you were called to be.
You shouldn’t have to hope for the best when it comes to raising your kids the right way.
Instead, you should have a clear plan, wisdom for today’s world, and tools you can put into use right away!
You will hear real-world wisdom and advice that is practical for the world your teens are living in each and every day.
AND, you will have access to the leading experts and voices for parenting, child psychology, and teen culture not found anywhere else.

Learn More Here

I have participated in one of their free online mini-conferences before, and I was impressed with both the content and format. They have a rather large list of people who will be doing the sessions, and it includes many well-known names, one of them being the president of the ACSI. In fact, ACSI is one of the sponsors for it. I think its information that would be helpful and encouraging to everyone who works with teens, especially in light of recent events in our community. I’ve personally already signed up because as a parent and teen leader, I want to stay well informed and equipped and I need all the help I can get!
Mrs. Cheyenne Lovelace, Preschool Teacher

Father & Son Campout

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Father & Son Campout FIREside FELLOWship
Friday, October 2  |  5:30 – 10:00 PM

Please note this event has changed from a campout to a bonfire to maintain better social distancing protocol.To reduce exposure between groups of students who would otherwise be separate from each other during school, this event is being transitioned to 1st-6th grade only.

Families with students from grades 7-12 may be invited to a different gathering in the future.

Here are the details for the Father and Son Fire Side Fellowship :

Calling all WCA fathers and sons!
Westlake Parent’s Association is holding its annual Father and Son event as a Father and Son Fire Side Fellowship, here at WCA on October 2nd (Weather Permitting).  This event will look a bit different than previous years due to COVID-19 restrictions.

Who can come?
WCA Fathers or Father Figures and WCA BoysCost?
This year the cost is FREE.  In return, we ask that you bring your own dinner and campfire snacks since food cannot be shared or distributed.

Suggestions for Food:
Dinner– Sandwiches, pick up a pizza, or anything else you may like. We will have a campfire and you are permitted to cook hotdogs with your own skewers.
Campfire Snack– Again you may bring any food you like. We will have a campfire and you are permitted to cook marshmallows for S’mores.
***Food may not be shared beyond your family.***
Additional Requirements:
Social Distancing is strongly encouraged.
Schedule of events:
5:30 pm – 6:30 pm     Arrive.  Kids may play with one another while fathers set up fire and games.6:30 pm – 7:15 pm     Dinner

7:15 pm – 8:30 pm     Games

8:30 pm – 9:30 pm     Devotion and Social Time around the fire (bring your own snacks).

10:00 pm                     Extinguish fire and depart

Questions?
Interested in helping? Many hands make lite work.
Contact Steve Leach –> Steve@leach1.com

WCA Hikes Lake County

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Cuba Marsh Forest Preserve, Photo by Alex Muniz (Freshman)

WCA Hikes Lake County Challenge

Does your family need to get out of the house? Join the WCA Hikes Lake County Challenge! Until November 30th, you can log your hiking miles with Westlake for a chance to win a prize for your family or class. In addition, if you log your miles with the Lake County Forest Preserve’s Hike Lake County challenge, you can win a badge for each family member or even your dog at https://www.lcfpd.org/hlc/. Walking, running, or riding in a stroller count, but not biking.

The classes with the most miles (PS-K, 1st–6th and 7th–12th) win a special treat (PS-K = special snack, other grades = pizza party)! The families with the most miles (PS–6th and 7th–12th) win a family photo shoot from Daniel Adams Photography (a WCA parent owned business). For families with students in multiple grades, the family category will be assigned by the grade of the oldest student.

Our ninth graders are organizing this activity as a service learning project, under the supervision of Mrs. O’Malley, the secondary science teacher.

Cuba Marsh Forest Preserve, photo by Alex Muniz (Freshman)

Families can log their hikes using the form below, or by returning paper slips to your child’s teacher (or Mrs. O’Malley).

Report Your Hike

  • Date Format: MM slash DD slash YYYY
  • Please enter a number from 1 to 20.

Open Board Meeting

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Join us on Monday, September 21, 2020 at 6:30pm for our bi-annual All-School Board of Trustees Meeting. 

Twice a year, the school’s leadership prepares a meeting to report to families about what’s going on. The constitutionally mandated meetings happen in September and May.

This fall, the meeting will be held at the school, with the option to join via Zoom. All parents are encouraged to attend the meeting (either virtually or in-person). Questions may be submitted online in advance, and there will also be an opportunity at the end of the meeting to ask questions (virtual participants may use the chat feature in Zoom).

In-person attendees must register in advance, so that we can adhere to gathering size restrictions. Face coverings will be required, and chairs will be socially distanced. Childcare will not be provided.

At the meeting, brief presentations will address the activities of the school administration, development, finances, as well as the Board itself. All parents and staff, of course, are important stakeholders in this ministry and should be interested in those reports.

Zoom Info

If you prefer to attend the meeting virtually, you may do so by joining the Zoom meeting.

Please sign in with your first and last name, so that the meeting host will recognize you. Please mute your audio and video if you do not wish to be seen or heard by other participants. Questions may be asked through the chat feature in Zoom.

When: September 21, 2020 06:30 PM Central Time (US and Canada)
Topic: WCA All School Board Meeting

Join Zoom Meeting:
https://zoom.us/j/95020377941?pwd=bW9jaDJ3K01sOTFscFhkSndjU0VOUT09

Meeting ID: 950 2037 7941
Passcode: q3ZKB3

Grandparents’ Day 2020

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We love our Grandparents!

Westlake Christian Academy looks forward every fall to having our students’ grandparents visit the school. This year, we couldn’t invite our grandparents to visit in person, but we did put together a special presentation. We hope you enjoy it! 

Purchase Punch Cards for Milk at Lunch

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 GotMilk?

Who has $0.40 in change on them any given day? And what elementary student is excellent at not losing change? Well, we’ve tried to solve those problems for you by creating a punch card system for purchasing milk at lunch time.

Each card will have 10 punches available for $4.00. You may purchase as many cards as you’d like at the beginning of the school year or you may purchase them as needed. The charge for the cards will be applied to your FACTS family account monthly by our business manager, Mrs. Gearhart. Unused cards or punches will not be refunded.

Once you complete the order form below, punch cards will be distributed from the office (as a parent, you won’t need to worry about picking up a card). Depending on the grade your child is in, the teacher may keep the cards at their desk or allow your student to hold on to their card themself.

If you have any questions about this new process, please reach out to the office via email.

Milk Punch Card Purchase Request

  • Parent & Student Information

    Please provide your contact information and the name(s) and grade(s) of your child(ren) so we may apply this charge to the correct FACTS family account.
  • Please let us know the name(s) & grade(s) to whom we should give the cards. For the younger grades, we may have the teacher hold on to the card so they aren't lost.

  • Purchase Your Punch Cards

    Each card allows a student to purchase 10 milk cartons. Every time a student receives a milk at lunch their card will be punched. You may purchase as many cards as you like. **UNUSED CARDS OR PUNCHES WILL NOT BE REFUNDED.**
  • Price: $4.00 Quantity:
  • $0.00
  • By signing below, you're agreeing for your FACTS family account to be invoiced for the above total.

Graduation Livestreams

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Westlake will be live-streaming our 2020 graduations for friends and family who would like to participate. Please note that the in-person events have a capacity of 50 people and are limited to invitees only.  The following link will be live a few minutes before the scheduled event.

Watch Now

Kindergarten Graduation – Thursday, August 6, 2020 at 7:00 pm

To those who hoped to join in for the Kindergarten Graduation, we experienced technical difficulties that prevented the livestream and also impacted our ability to record. We tested the livestream on Wednesday, and everything worked perfectly. We are so sorry that we do not have a video to share with you. We will be sharing a photo album with the families of our 2020 kindergarten class. 

Eighth Grade Recognition – Friday, August 7, 2020 at 7:00 pm

High School Graduation – Saturday, August 8, 2020 at 2:oo pm

275 South Lake Street
Grayslake, IL 60030
(847) 548-6209