FALL/HOLIDAY 2011

New commercial development has arrived! Check out the Westlake Corners (SH 170 & US 377)! Upcoming Meeting Dates: Town Council: BELOW: Centennial Fine Wine & Spirits is scheduled to open in November Oct 24, Nov 14 & 2011. Dec 12, 2011 Board of Trustees: Nov 7 & Dec 5, 2011

Community Events: Monster Mash-Oct 22 Outdoor Film Night -Oct 28 WHPS Vintage Car Show-Oct 29 ABOVE: QuikTrip is on WHPS Annual schedule to open in Jan 2012. Reception -Nov 11 Residents’ Fall Clean Up -Nov 18 Photos by Jaymi Ford Town Tree Lighting -Dec 1 Westlake Town Council Adopts Fiscal Year View the Town’s 2011-12 Budget & Lowers Effective Tax Rate website for more information. Last month, the Westlake Town Council/Board of Trustees approved the municipal budget of $20,093,931, which included Westlake Academy’s operating budget of $5,384,252 for the 2011-12 fiscal year. Inside this issue: Page(s)

In the previous fiscal year 2010-11, the Town’s budget focused on “Securing the Fu- Budget & Tax ture”. This approval was accomplished utilizing a municipal property tax to stabilize 1,3 Rate the Town’s finances. With that important step now taken, the FY 2011-12 Budget was formulated around the theme of “Investing in our Future.”

Mayor’s Mes- 2 Overall, the FY 2011-12 Town budget decreased by 12% (including expenditures and transfers out). This is due to large transfers that were made to the Capital Projects Trash Talk and 4 Fund in FY 2010-11 for street projects which were not made in FY 2011-12. Exclud- Water Rates ing the transfers, expenditures alone increased by 16% primarily due to expenditures for capital projects and Westlake Academy. Story continued on Page 3 Survey Results 5,10

Public Works Fall Clean Up 7-8 news The Town has arranged for the delivery of two dumpsters to be placed at the Westlake Academy northwest parking lot, below the gym, for all residents WHPS Events 6, 9 wanting to do a bit of fall cleaning before the holidays arrive. These household bulk item bins will be placed in the lot on Friday, Nov 18 and remain through Sunday, Nov 20. Additionally, a Hazardous A Word from Waste Mobile Collection Unit will be there for two hours on Nov 19, the 10 Police Chief from 9– 11:00 am only, to collect any hazardous waste from resi- dents on Saturday morning. Please read more important details inside on Page 8. Academy news 11-12 Page 2 MAYOR’S MESSAGE Can it really be that we are in the fourth quarter of 2011? My Mother is fond of saying that time has two dimensions – and mothers, as you know, are always right. So, on the one hand, it seems like we just packed away last year’s holiday decorations, but on the other, it seems like all the road construc- tion underway in and around Westlake has been going on forever and will never end! I assure you that it will and I want to give you an update on our progress.

FM 1938 (Precinct Line Road): The Texas Department of Transportation is managing this project, with input from the Town staff, and has provided the majority of the funding. Traffic will be redirected to the new road sections sometime in Novermeber, from SH 114, south to the Sabine entrance. That entrance will then be opened back up as well. More information and roadway enhancements along FM 1938 are found on page 7.

Mahotea Boone Trail and Aspen Lane Trail Projects: These street projects are included in the MAYOR LAURA WHEAT Town’s Five Year Capital Improvement Plan and are an example of your tax dollars at work. I am happy to share the great news that these two projects were completed within a two month period and you may view a few photos of the finished work on page 7. Comments received from residents have been extremely positive. These streets were reconstructed, not repaired by a quick overlay, as the pavement contained significant failures. Additional drain- age work was also completed along both roads and were greatly needed.

Ottinger/Dove Road Projects: Hillwood Properties is funding the $4.6 million of improvements along Dove and J.T. Ottinger Roads pursuant to a Development Agreement with the Town. This agreement includes several phases of road work along portions of J. T. Ottinger and Dove Roads over the next 18 months. The section of J.T. Ottinger Road in front of the school was expanded and turning lanes added. Design work is now in process to add a north entrance and internal road to the school campus with an estimated completion date around the end of December 2011. We are currently conducting traffic studies to determine the most appropriate roadway design for the N. Pearson and Dove Road intersection. The Town is currently working with Hillwood on the remaining portions of the improvements with a completion date of Spring 2013. More updates will be available as the projects pro- gress.

State Highway 114 and 170 Interchange: This is also a Texas Department of Transportation funded and managed project. However, this project’s contract contains a performance-based incentive and explains why we are seeing workers out at night and on the weekends. Thus, this project seems to be moving along at a quicker pace. Westlake, along with Trophy Club and Roanoke, have been working together to explore our options, if any, for aesthetic enhancements as allowed to the intersections, bridges and overpasses. While we do not have a role in this project nor receive status updates, we understand they are currently on track for a completion date of Summer 2013.

DFW Connector: This, the mother of all construction projects in the area, is expected to be completed by early 2014 with signifi- cant sections completed by the end of 2012. If you haven’t already done so, I encourage you to visit www.dfwconnector.com and sign up for email regarding lane and road closures. Additionally, feel free to call their hotline at (877) 411-4212.

As you can imagine, these many and varied projects have kept your Town government incredibly busy these last several months, but it hasn’t been our only focus. I invite you to peruse this newsletter to learn of the many other happenings in the Town of West- lake, especially during the upcoming holidays.

Please know that it continues to be an honor to serve you as your Mayor.

All the best-

Laura Wheat

Stagecoach Hills-We still have work to do!

Now that Stagecoach has received their new waterline and drainage work on the southern end of the subdivision, it’s time to go in and complete their long over due street reconstruction. More drainage work may also be necessary during this time. Currently, work is being done on the engineering design for the paving and drainage work with construction expected to start in January 2012. Additionally, the Roanoke Road section (north of SH 170) will also be reconstructed; this work is expected to begin around the same time. Yet another pro- ject to complete—Stagecoach Hills Waterline Phase 2; engineering and design work is un- derway with work expected to start in the spring of 2012. This waterline work will com- plete the connection of the Stagecoach Hills neighborhood to the Westlake water system. Hats off to the Stagecoach residents for enduring the mess of construction during this multi-phased project. We know you will be happy when all of the dirt settles—thank you for your continued patience! And we have even more news — the Stagecoach Hills Neighborhood Meeting is now scheduled for 7:00 pm on Tuesday, November 1, at the home of the Biddle Family. Mark your calendars and we’ll see you in a few weeks! Budget; Continued from Page 1

THE WESTLAKE WIRE Three areas of reinvestment targeted by the Town’s FY 2011-12 Budget are:

Investment in Service Delivery Sustainability $ 700,000 This includes funding to: Begin building funds to replace our fire pumper truck Purchase a replacement ambulance Purchase a brush fire attack truck Invest in technology Maintain the Town’s public buildings

Investment in Core Service Delivery Quality $ 120,927 This includes funding to: Invest in our municipal workforce via a 1% market pay adjustment and one-time performance pay dollars Maintain high quality public safety services due to a cost increase in the annual Keller Police services contract Fund a combined 0.5 positions allocation for a new maintenance worker (0.25) and IT technician (0.25) positions

Investment in Infrastructure (Capital Improvements Plan) $ 3,888,542 This includes funding to: Street, drainage, streetscape and trail projects $2,047,545 Water & sewer utility capital improvements 603,603 Hillwood - Dove/Ottinger Road contributions 1,237,394

The Town continued to offer the highest residential property tax homestead exemption allowed by State law (20%). The Town’s FY 2011-12 property rate decreased from FY 10-11 as follows:

FY 10-11 FY 11-12

Adopted Adopted

Tax Rate Tax Rate Variance

M&O $ 0.15620 $ 0.13835 $ (0.01785) I&S $ 0.00390 $ 0.01849 $ 0.01459

Total $ 0.16010 $ 0.15684 $ (0.00326)

Below is a comparison of Westlake’s property tax rate to other cities in our area: Page 4 Talking Trash…

We understand from reading the survey results, listening to several of your questions and in talking through your concerns that many residents are won- dering why the Town changed our garbage collection schedule earlier this year. While this decision was multi-faceted, it’s important to remember that your solid waste service is a SYSTEM with different components of the solid waste stream including: household waste, recyclables, yard waste, and bulky waste (e.g. old appliances, TV, etc.)

What is this change all about? The change to the service delivery system means we are still collecting the same amount (volume) of solid waste, we’re just doing it differently. It means less wear and tear on our roads and less air pollution by limiting the number of collection vehicles traveling though our town. It means less impact to our landfills as our residents learn to de- crease their amount of solid waste and increase their utilization of the recycling program. It means taking the lead for a community of our size with our environmental preservation and conservation efforts.

How is this different? By implementing an automated trash collection process and switching to once a week household waste collection, it encourages residents to become more conscious of the amount of recyclable solid waste that is thrown away and begin to concentrate on becoming more ―green‖; increasing your knowledge and practice of recycling efforts. By limiting the amount of unrecyclable solid waste containers and providing unlimited recycling containers, research has indicated that residents naturally recycle more when household solid waste is only collected on a weekly basis.

How do we know this works? Since Westlake moved to a complete once per week solid waste collection service, Westlake residents have decreased their solid waste collection volume by two tons and increased their recycling col- lections by one ton. Congratulations to everyone for this significant achievement in a short amount of time!

Another important note: By reconfiguring how Westlake’s residential solid waste is collected (once per week vs. twice), we were able to keep our contracted rates the same for 2 years, ending September 2012. Did you know that our rates are very comparable to our neighboring cities? We hope this information helps all of our citizens to understand the reasoning behind this decision.

Remember—Additional recycling containers are free and more can be requested through Town Hall. If deemed nec- essary, residents can order an additional household trash container through Town Hall for an additional fee.

Way to GO GREEN, Westlake!

Why Do Water and Sewer Rates Increase?

This is a very good question and one we want our residents to understand. To answer it, one must realize that there are 3 major components of the water and sewer rates that Westlake residents pay.

First: is the wholesale cost of water or the wholesale cost of sewage treatment. Westlake buys its water whole- sale from the City of Fort Worth and the sewage treatment service from the Trinity River Authority (TRA).

Second: is the cost associated with maintaining the Town’s water distribution pipes, pump station and storage tanks, as well as, the costs for maintaining the sewer pipe collection system located in Westlake proper.

Third: is the cost to pay on bonded indebtedness incurred to improve the Town’s water distribution or sewer col- lection system.

Most of Westlake’s water and sewer rate increases in the last 3 years have been due to cost increases from our wholesale water (Fort Worth) and sewer (TRA) providers. This trend will continue this year as our wholesale water rates increased by 11% as of October 1, 2011. Our wholesale sewer rates will be increasing by 12% as of December 1, 2011. Due to Westlake’s size, we are not in a position to simply absorb these cost increases, but must pass them on to our customers in the Town’s retail water and sewer rates. This prac- tice is also in keeping with our neighboring communities who in turn, pass along their wholesale cost increases to their customers as well. These cost increases are just another reason to stress water conservation efforts with your home and gardening needs. For more water conservation information, please visit our Town website here.

DirectionFinder© Survey Results Help THE WESTLAKE WIRE Direct Town Council and Staff

This past June, the Town conducted a community survey for the third consecutive year; each survey taken has helped to build a basis of comparison that helps both Council and Staff gauge our progress in various aspects of the Town’s management. The re- sults from these surveys provide insight into Westlake resident’s concerns and help guide the resource allocation decisions of the Town’s leadership. With 255 respondents, Westlake residents once again evidenced the level of interest and support they have in the Town’s governance.

Comparing this year’s results to the two prior years’ the following Town services had significant increases in satisfaction ratings: emergency preparedness, parks & trails, municipal court, fire, emergency medical, and cleanliness of streets. The following ser- vices experienced decreases: traffic enforcement, police visibility, police response, utilities and customer service. In addition, resi- dent’s satisfaction with various perceptions of Westlake also decreased: value received from local revenues, direction the Town is headed, and overall quality of governmental services.

The priorities of Westlake residents have also changed; the three major Town services that residents felt were most important are: public safety, street maintenance, and utility services. The prior year’s survey listed Westlake Academy as the second most impor- tant Town service. Included in this newsletter, are several important graphs to demonstrate this year’s survey results and com- parisons for your review. Once again, thank you for taking the time to complete this survey. Your opinions and insight are invalu- able to your Westlake Town Council and Staff. The full survey report will be available in the coming week on the Town website.

More survey information is found on Page 10

Survey results also indicated that residents continue to feel good about living in Westlake. 88% of the residents felt the Town was an ―excellent‖ or ―good‖ place to live Only 1% rated the Town as a ‖poor‖ place to live.

National Comparisons indicate Westlake is above average by a min. of 10% in: Effectiveness of communication Cleanliness of streets & other public areas Visibility of police in neighborhoods Enforcing exterior maintenance of residential property Customer service Emergency preparedness efforts Enforcement of sign regulations Condition of neighborhood streets

News from your Page 6 THE WESTLAKE WIRE Fire/EMS Department

According to the U.S. Fire Administration, the majority of fire related deaths occur in one and two family residences. From 2007 to 2009, fire departments responded to an estimated 248,500 fires in one- and two-family residences each year across the Nation. These fires resulted in an annual average loss of 2,135 deaths, 8,550 injuries and $5.9 billion in prop- erty loss. A properly working residential fire sprinkler system can greatly reduce this risk.

During the freeze of February 2011, the Westlake Fire/EMS Department responded to approximately twenty-four incidents involving broken fire sprinkler pipes. Most of these, if not all, were due to the lack of insulation covering the pipes. Dam- ages from this event were estimated to be between $500,000 - $1,000,000 throughout the Town of Westlake. Properly insulated pipes can be very effective in preventing pipes from freezing.

Residential fire sprinklers are designed and installed for life safety. They are intended to prevent fire related deaths and they do afford some protection for the structure. They can help keep a fire controlled until the fire department arrives and in some cases, they can even extinguish the fire.

Often times fire sprinkler pipes may become unprotected as a result of activity from electricians, HVAC personnel or other workers that are performing work in the attic. Inadvertently the pipes are uncovered and never covered back up. As the cooler temperatures arrive, take time to check the insulation around your pipes and make sure they are adequately pro- tected.

The fall is also a good time to change the batteries in all of your smoke detectors. We recommend changing the batteries at every ―time‖ change. That day is coming up soon on October 16 and is an easy way to remember when it is time to in- stall fresh batteries. We hope that you will perform this easy maintenance task in the coming week and know that your family can be protected with your smoke detector as an early warning in the event of a fire.

Our awareness of fire safety is crucial during the holidays. Many fires are started by placing Christmas trees too close to heat sources such as the fire place, candles or heaters. Please keep your tree stand full of water at all times. It is impor- tant to inspect your tree lights for shorts, frays, or exposed wiring as this is also a cause of fires. Remember, never leave your Christmas tree lights on while sleeping or when you leave the house. Wishing you and your family a happy holiday!

SAVE THE DATE: Community Tree Lighting Thursday, December 1, 2011; 6:00 - 8:00 pm Westlake Academy Campus—North side, next to the fountain

Radio Disney will be back along with our special visitors from the North Pole. There will be performances by the Westlake Academy choral group, cookie decorating, games and so much more. Don’t forget to bring a batch of your favorite holiday cookies and recipe to share. Catch a game of the mighty Blacksmith basketball while there!

9/11 photos taken by Sherry Whigham 9/11 Tenth Anniversary Memorial - 2011 Over 65 citizens and guests from Westlake and surrounding communities gathered at Glenwyck Park’s east side pond on Saturday morning, September 10, 2011, to come to- gether, to remember and to reflect on that tragic day ten years ago that we will never forgot.

The Westlake Historical Preservation Society, led by Committee Chair Stephen Thornton, felt it very important that our community take time out of our lives to remember those that sacrificed so much, to pay respect to the family members and first responders that we lost, to recognize the spirit of heroism and service displayed by so many, and rekindle the American spirit in us all. Special guest speaker, singer Myrna Loy and guest bugler — were present with inspiring words, joining Mayor Laura Wheat and former Mayor Scott Bradley in the floating of a memorial wreath. A pictorial memorial wall was erected and the Keller Boy Scout Troup 35 posted the col- ors. Everyone enjoyed the reverent sound of the North Texas Cale- donian Pipes as they played Amazing Grace to close and a few other songs as citizens took a moment on their own to remember and re- flect. Thank you to our WHPS Board members and all our guests for joining us on this significant day of remembrance. Page 7 FM 1938 (Precinct Line Road):

Did You Know...

this $15 million project is funded and managed by the Texas Depart- ment of Transportation? This means that TXDOT has complete control over the construction schedule; not the Town of Westlake.

this project is a cooperative project involving not only Westlake, but Tarrant County, Keller and Southlake?

the scheduled completion date for Phase I of this project, which is entirely in Westlake (running from SH 114 south to Randol Mill Road), is still on track for a Summer 2012 completion?

TXDOT officials plan to divert traffic onto the new sections of the FM 1938 roadway during the month of November so the other side can be completed? That’s next month! south-bound turn movements on the section of FM 1938 out of Vaquero should begin in the first quarter of 2012.

Phase II, which extends Precinct Line (FM 1938) south from Randol Mill Road to Southlake Boulevard (FM 1709), is still in the engineering and right-of-way acquisition stage? these photos show the aesthetic improvements that your Town Council and Staff worked hard to ensure their inclusion into this project?

Have you seen Westlake’s new road work?

Above: The pictures to the left and right display the new turn lanes and wider roadway along J. T. Ottinger Road. Below (left to right): Mahotea Boone Trail reconstructed; Addi- tional drainage work along Aspen Lane; Aspen Lane recon-

Photos on this page taken by Jarrod Greenwood Page 8 Fall Clean-Up and Household Hazardous Waste THE WESTLAKE WIRE Drop-off Containers for the Town of Westlake

The Town has arranged for the delivery of two dumpsters for household bulk items on Friday, November 18 through Sunday, November 20, 2011. These dumpsters will be located at Westlake Academy, in the northwest parking lot. Below are several important things to note before traveling to the dumpsters. Please read carefully.

HAZARDOUS WASTE COLLECTION

It is important for residents to only drop-off bulk household items that do not contain hazardous materials at the dumpster location.

For your convenience, we have arranged for the Fort Worth Household Hazardous Waste Mobile Collection Unit for your disposal of any household hazardous waste on Saturday, November 19 from 9 A.M. until 11 am; two hours only. Potential items include, but are not limited to: paint, pesticides, antifreeze, batteries (all kinds, includ- ing car batteries), brake fluid, fluorescent light bulbs, compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs), herbicides, and phar- maceuticals. For a complete list or to verify if an item can be dropped off, residents can visit the City of Fort Worth Website at http://www.fortworthgov.org/dem/info/default.aspx?id=8214.

PLEASE BRING PROOF OF RESIDENCY

Fall Clean-Up: DUMPSTER DROP-OFF INFO

Below is a sample list of some items that are acceptable and unacceptable for the dumpster drop-off.

Acceptable Construction debris from remodeling – e.g. glass, wood, metal, sheetrock Paint may be disposed of IF the lid has been removed and the paint is dried up. Furniture – e.g. desks, chairs, mattress, box springs Yard Waste – e.g. tree limbs, shrubs, fence material, bushes Appliances – e.g. water heaters, washers, dryers, refrigerators without freon and tagged according to Town standards

Unacceptable Items Hazardous Materials – e.g. paint thinners, solvents, oils, oil filters Paint – IF not dried or hardened Automotive items – e.g. oil, oil filters, tires, batteries Appliances that still contain freon or untagged

The samples provided are not meant to be a complete list, but rather one to assist you in determining what types of items may be dropped off. If you have an item that you are not sure about, please contact Public Works Director Jarrod Greenwood at (817) 490-5717 or Allied Waste at (817) 332-7301.

Please be considerate of Town property and make sure that all of your trash is inside the container as anything left on the outside, will be left when the container is picked up. If the container is full and you still have items, please contact Jarrod Greenwood to make alternative arrangements.

As always, we encourage recycling whenever possible.

Westlake Stage 1 Water Restrictions Remain in Effect

While the recent rains were certainly welcomed, they were not enough to remove the current restrictions. Thank you to all residents for following the Stage 1 Water Restrictions. (Click here for more info.)

Your conservations efforts have been successful in helping Westlake to become more Water Wise! Make plans now to join the Westlake Historical Preservation Society at their Annual Reception for all members and anyone interested in help- ing the WHPS celebrate another successful year of pursuing their mission of discovering, preserving and perpetuating the history of Westlake and the Cross Timbers area. Music will be provided by local harpists Elissa Dunlap and Sonya Loy.

When: Thursday, November 10 at 7:00-8:30 pm. Where: Marriott So- lana hotel in Westlake; Living Room next to the front entrance.

Our first…WESTLAKE ANNUAL VINTAGE CAR SHOW SATURDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2011 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM with awards ceremony at 3:00 PM SOLANA CLUB parking lot in Westlake, TX 76262 (Admission is free unless registering a car) (Sam’s School Road, off of SH 114 at Solana Blvd. Exit)

AWARDS FOR BEST OF SHOW, BEST OF CLASS AND MAYOR’S CHOICE Benefiting the WESTLAKE HISTORICAL PRESERVATION SOCIETY

REGISTRATION GOING ON NOW PLEASE VISIT OUR WEBSITE FOR FURTHER INFORMATION Hope to see you there! A Message from Page 10 Keller Police Chief Mark Hafner THE WESTLAKE WIRE

Greetings Westlake Residents,

Recently an iPAD was stolen from an unlocked vehicle parked in Glenwyck Farms. Another resident also reported that their unlocked vehicle was entered but nothing appeared to be stolen. Some are surprised that this could happen in Westlake in a gated community. Taking items from parked unlocked vehicles in residential neighborhoods is occurring in every commu- nity regardless of the size or demographics. This is a crime of opportunity. We will do our part by regularly patrolling your neighborhoods in police cars, motorcycles, and on bicycles. We will stop suspicious persons and vehicles as we observe them. But, we can’t do it alone and we need your help. You must take away the opportunity by hardening the target. Take all items out of your vehicle when you park on the street or in your driveway. It is much better to take the time and put the car in the garage if possible. Please call us on 9-1-1 if you observe suspicious persons or vehicles in the area. You will not bother us by calling as we would rather respond to check the person or car out then to respond to victims of a crime the next day. Westlake is an extremely safe community with almost no crime compared to other communities. This is great and we want to work with you to keep it this way. Residents of super safe communities like Westlake sometimes be- come complacent and lower their guard and fail to recognize the need to ―harden the targets‖. I know if we work together on this issue we can prevent incidents of property crime.

I have reviewed the latest Citizen Survey Results and I believe I need to comment on the value of Traffic Enforcement in a community like Westlake. Some of the comments were from residents who are upset about receiving a traffic ticket from us. I understand your frustration as no one likes to receive a ticket. They are expensive and bring about an emotional re- sponse believing we could spend our time doing better things or believe that is all we do. The proper utilization of Traffic Enforcement keeps the roads safer with fewer collisions and at the same time lowers the amount of crime. Many suspects of crime have been apprehended for minor traffic violations like speeding and front license plate violations. But when you are law abiding local citizen and you get stopped by us your initial response is ―why me, don’t these cops have anything better to do?‖ Please understand that traffic enforcement does bring value to your community, it is a proper use of unallo- cated patrol time, and many citizens want police presence and traffic enforcement. If you are stopped by us I will make sure that the officers are professional and courteous and the stop is as brief as possible. I can tell you that we do so much more for your community than just traffic enforcement. Our officers have visited your neighborhoods, talked with your children, put criminals in jail for breaking the law, worked with the homeowners associations on problems, investigated serious auto colli- sions on highways 114 and 170, and appeared at career days at Westlake Academy.

Please don’t judge our overall effectiveness based on receiving a traffic ticket from us. I want to hear from you if you ever believe you did not receive the highest quality of service from us. If you just want to complain about a traffic ticket, I am a good lis- tener as well. I can be reached at [email protected] or by phone at 817-743- 4501. We value our relationship with you and it is our desire to deliver the highest quality of service. Sincerely, Mark R. Hafner

National Comparisons indicate Westlake is below the national average in the following areas:

Residential trash collec- tion services Storm water runoff Yard waste collection services Household hazardous waste disposal service Parks/Trails/Recreation programs and facilities

Your Town Council and Staff will strive for continuous improvement in these and other areas as indicated. Thank you for your feedback!

Scholastic Achievements are already arriving for the Westlake Class of 2012

Another year of recognition by the National Merit Scholar Association for several Westlake Academy students. Three members of the Senior Class of 2012 have recently been notified by the National Merit Scholarship Association that they have earned the distinct honor of Commended Scholar. They are: Courtney Cundall, Rachana Gadi and Amrita Hans.

These Commended Scholar students placed among the top 5% of more than 1.5 million students who entered the 2012 competition by taking the qualifying PSAT exam during their Junior year. While Com- mended Scholars will not continue in the 2012 competition for National Merit Scholarships, this distinc- tion is highly regarded. We are very proud of you and your achievement, ladies. Congratulations!

State Championship report from your Westlake Academy Sports Teams

The Westlake Cross Country teams finished another strong season and qualified for the TCAF State Meet. Varsity Boys took second place at the meet and the Varsity Girls won the State Championship. Congratulations to our cross country runners - we are proud of you!

Congratulations also go out to the WA Varsity Soccer team. On Tuesday of this week, Westlake Academy beat Dallas Academy in the Semi-Final game by a score of 3-2. Please join us as we celebrate their victory and travel to their first State Championship game in Westlake Soccer history. Way to go Blacksmiths!

Yet another team is on to State! The Lady Blacksmiths Varsity Volleyball team earned the title of District Champions and will be heading off to the TCAF State Tournament on Thursday, October 20, 2011. Good luck girls—we wish you the best!

It’s Homecoming time! Check out the next page for great football fun next week.

Did you know its time for the HOC sponsored Monster Mash at WA? Details on the last page!

News from the Westlake Academy Foundation

Blacksmith Annual Campaign: Westlake residents and Academy parents, Karen and Wayne Stoltenberg, are chairing this year’s Blacksmith Annual Fund Campaign, which kicked off October 1. According to the Texas Charter Schools Association, an average charter school receives $2,009 less per student than an independent school dis- trict. To fill this financial gap, the Blacksmith Annual Fund provides operating support for the Academy; it’s actually a line-item in the annual budget! Parents are asked to donate $2,000 per child enrolled, a 100% tax-deductible contribution. Employer matching gifts and corporate/private foundation grants to widen the circle of support are also actively sought. This year’s fundraising goal is $627,000 and the Foundation is optimistic that this will be an- other successful campaign. To date and including generous ―early bird‖ contributions, the Foundation has already raised 50% of this ambitious goal with 28% parent participation before the end of the second week.

The Town of Westlake thanks the Foundation board for their hard work and expresses much appreciation for the support and generosity of our Academy parents and Westlake community. There’s no place like Westlake!

Foundation grants just keep rolling in: Shortly after school began this year, the Westlake Academy Foundation awarded $216,000 in approval of recent grant applications to help the Academy maintain its current level of educa- tional services. The funds help provide the hiring of a new Math coach, the purchase of an all-school license for Rosetta Stone, $100,000 worth of technology needs and Professional Development for over 25 teachers. The Foun- dation continuously reviews and fulfills grant applications throughout the entire school year. We applaud the Foun- dation for their significant support; ensuring the students of Westlake Academy a great start to their school year.

3rd Annual Westlake Baja draws another great crowd: Many folks gathered last week to enjoy the great weather at the Vaquero Club House for a time of fun Baja-style golf, tennis, food, refreshments, great entertain- ment with a superb band and a very impressive showing of Live Auction items. Early reports indicate another great year of outstanding results ($201,000!) to benefit the Foundation’s FUND 100; dedicated funds to develop, recruit and retain ―legacy teachers‖- those educators who make a lasting and positive impact on their students. Thank you to all of our sponsors and guests—we couldn’t have done it without YOU!

Coming Soon: Grandparents Day at WA; morning of November 18, 2011. And—we hope you plan to attend the Foundation’s Annual Gallery Night coming up in March 2012. Watch for more details as the date draws near. It’s sure to be a night to remember! The Westlake Academy HOC (House of Commons) presents:

The 4th annual M2 (Monster Mash) and it’s right around the corner ! Please join us on Saturday 10/22, from 5pm-9pm for an evening of family fun. The entire Westlake community is invited!

Boo games, haunted houses, scary karaoke, trunk or treat, pumpkin decorating contest and much more ...at the Westlake Academy campus. Hope to see you there!

Westlake Academy supports Trick or Treat for UNICEF

Did you know that Westlake Academy has a UNICEF Club? Students of all ages participate in various ways throughout the year to support this worthy organization but this time of year is extra special as many Westlake Academy students will be joining millions of children nation- wide to Trick or Treat for UNICEF. For more than 60 years, Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF has served as the Original Kids Helping Kids campaign. Established as one of the longest-running Youth initiatives in America, with more than $164 million raised to-date, Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF remains an inspiration to the young (and the young at heart) to further the cause of children everywhere. Hundreds of millions of kids and adults (including past presidents!), spanning three generations of Americans, have been part of Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF. So if you see one of these little orange boxes at your door step next week, ask the little ghost or goblin all about it! —————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— Westlake Academy Halloween Outdoor Film Festival

Experience a few frights, films, food and fun for the whole family! Join us for an outdoor showing of two movies, on the Westlake Academy campus; at the east end of the WA Arts & Sciences Building, south campus entrance.

Admission is $5 and includes a slice of pizza, water and games. Hot chocolate, Halloween candy bags, glow-in- the-dark items, and more are available for purchase. Proceeds from this event benefit the Westlake Academy Student Council. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 28 7:00 - 8:30 p.m. - Showing Monster House (PG) 9:00 - 11:00 p.m. - Showing The Ring (PG-13)