I have seen the west side from both perspectives: my oldest daughter was academically gifted and benefited tremendously from this school. My son is very bright but is LD. The support he has received from his teachers and classmates is wonderful. Yes, WLHS is academically very challenging, but, in
... Read more my experience, it cares about all students, irrespective of ability. Read less
Posted by a parent on 04/10/09
The school does a phenomenal job of teaching the students the basics. We moved from the number 1 ranked publis school system in NJ and the West Lafayette school system is far better.
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Posted by a parent on 02/23/09
As mother of students involved in West Lafayette Community Schools > 15 yrs, this system is comparable in size, achievement to one of my youth in the 60's, 70's in ABSD AK (where some schools--my school was one of them--in which opportunities abounded for those interested in attaining high levels of
... Read more academic/other success, were well-funded, well-supported by parents and community, and a product of expectations in a land of ''free-thinking opportunists'). Class options are available, parental involvement is encouraged, stepping out of line is discouraged, and high levels of academic success are realized. For brightest, however, some fall in the cracks. For those that are academically challenged, I don't know what is available--maybe they don't attend Westside in great numbers. There is loyal student body. The school preps kids for engineering and managerial positions, not necessarily for philosophers, idealists, nor virtuosos... Read less
Posted by a parent on 03/02/08
This school is just academically oriented and have not good atmosphere for some children from middle and lower economical class. They are simply not welcome here , and after feeling rejected they may want to go away. From personal experience.
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Posted by a parent on 10/17/07
My daughter is new to W. Lafayette High School. My daughter was sooo impressed with the councillor, staff, and most of all the teachers and students, along with the atmosphere there, as well as the variety of clubs. Today is only her second day, and the only complaint was that her Choir class didn't
... Read more seem to have much discipline and the students were talking so much she said she couldn't hear herself think. She is hoping it was just that the teacher was getting to know the students on the first day. She is very excited about this school. Read less
Posted by a parent on 08/14/07
My child loved this school and was sad to have to leave it. The teachers are devoted and have high expectations. Beyond academics, the schools is friendly and offers an excellent range of exta-curricular activities. Great band program though overally competative.
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Posted by a parent on 08/13/07
West Side tends to evoke strong responses: parents tend to love it or hate it, depending on how academically-oriented their children are. With a population that draws heavily from children of Purdue professors, this school can be something of a pressure cooker. In fairness, though, the pressure comes
... Read more more from families and the kids themselves than from teachers and administrators. What's most wonderful about this school is its diversity (the Purdue factor again) and its serious commitment to foster academics and enriching extra-curricular activities outside of sports. Music programs, despite what other reviewers have maintained, are excellent, and there are also some wonderful faculty and fabulous courses in the liberal arts. If you are looking for a school with high academic standards, a relatively small and diverse student body, and opportunities for quirky interests, this is the school for you. Read less
Posted by a parent on 07/10/07
Though students from this school system consistently perform well on standardised tests and most graduates go on to earn a college degree, West Side does not, by any means, achieve excellence in education. A grossly competitive spirit and elistist attitude from parents drives most of these high outcome
... Read more rates. The school is characterized by a lack of organization at the administrative levels, mediocre teachers (with a few shining exceptions) and a lack of diversity and acceptance. Music is poorly organized and underfunded, and students who do not excel in the typically science and math based curriculum tend to be labeled negatively by the school system, as well as other students and parents. Though public schooling has seen worse, in general, West Side does not live up to the overblown reputation its parents and alumni give it. Read less
Posted by a other on 07/05/07
The quality of the academic programs at West Lafayette is good. This probably has more to do with the community demographic (West Lafayette is the home of Purdue and many professors live there) than with the curriculum. Many students achieve at a high level but this has much more to do with what is
... Read more happening in the homes than what is happening in the school. Extracurricular activities are very solid, with the exception of Music. Music is not a high priority to the parents in the community which is attested to by the fact that many students join band and choir in middle school only to drop out in High School. Too many people think that music is not something that will prepare students for college, which is not only a shame...it is not supported by research. Parents tend to be elitist, aloof and pushy when advocating for their children's educational advantage. Read less
Posted by a parent on 05/17/07
West Lafayette is a very nice school. The academic standards are high, and there are many music, art and sports programs available. The schools is run for the good of the students and is a very clean and approachable environment.
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School Profile for West Lafayette Junior Senior High School
Test scores
Enrollment
Programs
Resources
ISTEP+* Test Scores
Grade Level:
Test Year: 2009
West Lafayette Junior Senior High School
West Lafayette Cmty School District
Indiana
* In 2008-2009 Indiana used the Indiana Statewide Testing for Educational Progress-Plus (ISTEP+) assessment to test students in grades 3 through 10 in English/language arts and math, and in grades 5 and 7 in science. The ISTEP+ is a standards-based test, which means it measures specific skills defined for each grade by the state of Indiana. High school students are required to pass the grade 10 ISTEP+ to receive a high school diploma. The goal is for all students to score at the passing level on the test.
Student enrollment:
989
Students per teacher:
15
Full-time teachers:
66
Number of classrooms:
60
Vocational Education
Accounting, Drafting, Food Nutrition, Health, Phys Ed
English
American Literature, Journalism, Literature, Speech/Debate
Arts
Art
Science
Astronomy
Music
Band, Choral, Orchestra
Computer Science
Computer Programming, Computer Science
Social Studies / Social Sciences
Economics, Psychology
Special Education
Learning Differences
Math
Statistics, Trigonometry
Advanced Placement
Math, Science, Social Studies, Fine Arts, Foreign Language, Computers, English
*The resources listed are programs that the institution is staffed to support. Staffing for a program does not guarantee that it will be offered. This content is provided by the institution and may be incomplete. The institution may offer programs not listed here. Please contact the school directly for additional details.
Advanced Placement
AP classes are college-level classes offered at the high school level. Once a student completes an AP class and passes a final comprehensive examination conducted by the College Board, the student earns college credit for the course. AP classes are specific and not to be confused with other higher-level classes such as honors classes.
Before/After School
"Extended day" programs where the school day is extended before and after school to accommodate working parents. These programs should not be confused with common after school clubs or athletic activities.
Gifted and Talented
A school system may identify 10% to 15% or more of its student population as gifted and talented. A brief description of each area of giftedness or talent as defined by the Office of Gifted and Talented:
general intellectual ability or talent - high intelligence test score (usually two standard deviations above the mean), and high levels of vocabulary, memory, abstract work knowledge and abstract reasoning;
specific academic aptitude or talent in one area such as mathematics or language arts;
creative and productive thinking, the ability to produce new ideas;
leadership ability, the ability to direct individuals or groups to a common decision or action;
visual and performing arts, special talents in visual art, music, dance, drama, or other related studies;
psychomotor ability, such as practical, spatial, mechanical, and physical skills.
Vocation/Technical Curriculum
Vocational and/or technical courses offered within a comprehensive school, usually a senior high school.
Special Education Classes
A school or program within a school that provides services and training to students with moderate to severe mental and/or physical disabilities.
Adult Education Classes
Programs offering GED or equivalent courses for adults within regular schools, whether classes are held during evening or daytime schedules.
English as Second Language
English language classes for students whose first language is not English.
Homes for sale near West Lafayette Junior Senior High School
West Lafayette schools — West Lafayette Junior Senior High School is located at 1105 N Grant St, West Lafayette IN 47906. 1105 N Grant St is in the 47906 ZIP code in West Lafayette, IN The school district for West Lafayette Junior Senior High School is the West Lafayette Cmty School District. West Lafayette Junior Senior High School is a Public school that serves grade levels 7 - 12.
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Test Score Ratings
Test score ratings are based on the most recent standardized test results reported by this state. These ratings may help
you compare similar schools in this district or area. For example, a rating of 8 indicates that, on average, students in
this school scored better than 70% of the students in the state on the same tests. We have indicated below which tests
were used in calculating these ratings. Other factors should be considered when comparing schools, including teacher
experience, academic programs, extracurricular activities, resources for special needs students, etc. These ratings are
not provided by the state Department of Education, which may have their own rating systems.
