MAbbott_HDHeadshotWayside Schools Community:

It’s hard to believe that we’re in the final quarter of the academic school year. This quarter marked the beginning of STAAR and EOC testing, and I’m extremely proud of how hard both our students and staff members have worked to ensure that we do our best. Looking forward, there are two very exciting milestones on our horizon.

The IB Update

First, by the time you receive our next quarterly newsletter, Wayside Schools will likely have another fully authorized International Baccalaureate (IB) World School under our belt. Wayside: Sci-Tech Preparatory (STP) has worked tirelessly over the last two years to prepare their school for its IB verification visit that was just completed last month. During the visit, evaluators from the IB made a trip out to Wayside: STP to verify that the school is prepared and ready to become a highly rigorous, college preparatory IB World School. Following this successful visit, Wayside: STP will soon join Wayside: REAL Learning Academy (REAL) as an authorized IB World School. Wayside: STP will be authorized in the IB Middle Years Programme (MYP). Having our second fully authorized IB World School will take us one step closer to becoming the only public school system in Austin to provide a full IB curriculum to all students at all grade levels

First Graduating Class

Our second big milestone is our very first high school graduation, which takes place May 26, 2016. College acceptance letters are flowing in to our seniors, and they are excitedly planning what their future will look like after they cross that stage. I would like to personally congratulate them all on their successes. While we will miss them, we cannot wait to see where they go.

We are looking forward to our upcoming milestones, and I know we will end the year even stronger than we began it.

Together, we prepare college ready, community engaged, global citizens.

– Matt Abbott, CEO