As the 2016-2017 school year comes to an end, I want to congratulate our students for an outstanding job. Through hard work and perseverance, they earned numerous industry certifications and accomplished many personal achievements. I am very proud of all our students, and wish our seniors a prosperous and fulfilling future.

If you were unable to attend our seniors' Completers Ceremony on May 16th, you missed a great opportunity to see our students shine. A special thanks is extended to the Canon-McMillan School District for allowing us to hold our ceremony in their high school Auditorium.

I want to wish the families, students and Instructors a safe and happy summer, and I look forward to seeing everyone back in August to start the next exciting school year.

The school year has started and hopefully by now the dust has settled. Making the decision to attend Western Area for some students may be a challenge. An education at Western Area Career & Technology Center allows your child the opportunity to succeed in life after graduation. Parents and guardians are important partners in the education and development of our students. We have a common goal of ensuring our students are intellectually engaged and socially adjusted. Some of our most common discussions with parents and guardians deal with what will happen to students after high school graduation. There may be bumps along the way, but rest assured, Western Area has competent and caring faculty, professionals who serve as mentors to ease the transition. We support and challenge our students as they become:

• Responsible adults capable of making their own academic and social decisions
• Thoughtful and responsible citizens
• Problem-solvers
• Lifelong learners

In our very important partnership with you, we ask that you support Western Area by reinforcing these ideals. We know that many students will continue to count on their families for advice and encouragement during their school years, and we value and respect your relationship. Thank you in advance for encouraging your child to work with us to seek solutions to the challenges that may arise during the time your child is with us. We look forward to working with you.