West End School enrolls girls for the first time in its 20-year history
It was a historical day for West End School on Thursday.
Leaders with the school held the inaugural Girls School Scholarship Ceremony, where they awarded scholarships to the first class of girls.
This milestone event marks a new chapter for the 20-year-old institution, which has previously served only boys.
"Today, we're introducing our first class of female students," said the head of school, Greg Ross. "After 20 years of male students, we're welcoming our young ladies, and we맥스카지노re very excited about that."
The decision to open a girls school at West End was driven by the desire to provide equitable opportunities for young women in the community.
"If we want to really make an impact in the community, it has to be more than just young men. Being able to do it for our young ladies is a game changer for us and hopefully for our community," Ross said.
The new girls school will begin with grades pre-kindergarten through second grade, eventually expanding by one grade each year until it reaches eighth grade. Ross says this expansion was made possible entirely through private donations, with no state funding.
"It costs roughly $20,000 a year to educate a student here. For our girls, they will see the value of that support from day one," Ross said.
Paul Perconti, the co-founder and board chair emeritus of West End School, emphasized the school맥스카지노s mission of providing life-changing educational opportunities.
"Today is monumental. It맥스카지노s a blessing. We맥스카지노ve wanted to do this for years, but we only open new initiatives when they are fully funded and debt-free. This is a dream come true," Perconti said.
The school맥스카지노s commitment to educational excellence is reflected in its impact on student outcomes. According to Ross, for African American boys, the school has achieved 78% reading proficiency and 69% math proficiency 맥스카지노 far above state and national averages.
"We are doing something to really change the trajectory," Ross said. "This is about giving our kids opportunities to see themselves in a bigger picture, building their culture, their social-emotional skills, and their academic strengths."
Ross said this is a game changer for the school and the community, but it's also a game changer for families.
"I'm just so, so proud of her," Rahja Laszlo said of her daughters, who is attending West End Girls School next school year. "I've been fighting back the tears this whole time because I'm like, I'm so, so proud of her. She is so extraordinary."
"This is going to excel her because she's already super super smart, so I think they're going to challenge her, and get her to where she needs to be in life," Brittany Taylor said of her daughter, who also received a scholarship for the next school year.