In the wake of all the school shootings, I want to assure all parents and guardians that Western Area CTC is diligently working to ensure our school continues to provide a safe learning environment for your children.

According to Everytown, there have been 17 school shootings in 2018 alone, and 290 since the 2012 Sandy Hook tragedy. These incidents range from mass shootings like last week's in Florida to the accidental discharge of firearms, after-hours fights between adults on school property and suicides. Western Area does not intend to become a part of any report or statistic. What have we done since this information has been released?

• The Chartiers-Houston Police Department will continue to do two walk-throughs in our building and will do security checks of the campus by driving around the building when they are able.
• Barriers will be installed in front of the building.
• Eleven surveillance cameras are being installed around the outside of the building.
• A second set of security doors will be added to the Main Entrance.
• To provide an additional safety measure for our students and staff, the web-based Raptor Security System will soon be installed to conduct screenings of all visitors to our building.
• We have spoken to all of our students concerning safety and never letting anyone into the building from the outside.
• All teachers have previously been in-serviced on "active shooter in the building" and will again receive that training in August. The theme is "See Something, Say Something."
• All students and staff have been encouraged to inform Administration of what they see on social media so we can be proactive in our approach to keep everyone safe.

We thank you for allowing your children to attend Western Area, and assure you that every child will receive a great education in preparation for post-secondary schooling or the opportunity to enter their chosen field. Safety will remain our number one priority, and we will continue in our efforts to provide every possible security measure ensuring the safety and well-being of our students and staff.

This has been a wild and crazy winter. Even though Punxatawney Phil claims there are six more weeks of winter, the Western Area geese are telling me this has to end soon! We can never predict the weather. Our goal is to make sure that all students and staff are safe and not going out into terrible inclement weather.

Due to school cancellations, we will be having school on the following days that were originally scheduled as days off: February 16, February 19, March 29 and April 2. We have requested a waiver from the PDE, and will notify everyone immediately if it is approved. Hopefully, we will not have any more snow days to make up, or we will be adding days at the end of May.

Graduation (May 15, 2018) will not be affected so far. We will work with all nine of our sending schools to make sure that everyone is out in a timely manner will all the requirements needed for students to graduate.

I want to thank you for your patience. I know when we close the students have to stay home with you and that creates a problem, especially when you or your significant other has to work.

Again, thank you for your patience. If I could control the weather, it would be sunny and 70 degrees every day of the year!

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.