Dear West Park Friends, Family, Neighbors, and Scholars,
If you drive past West Park Academy, you will see four large banners attached to the front of the school proclaiming what we stand for. These values are ideals, goals, and inspirations to all who are a part of the school. But now, more than ever, these are values that must unite us against all things that suffocate our nation, our city, and even our community.
Those four values are: COMMUNITY, INTEGRITY, RESILIENCE, and EXCELLENCE. Sadly, we have witnessed our society fail to be a community where love and equality are cherished and held sacred. We have experienced an utter letdown of integral members of our society who have abused power over others and allowed prejudice and discrimination to be the law of the land. Some of our leaders and community members have made it impossible for citizens to demonstrate resilience. As we rise, we are torn back down again…and again…and again. We have failed to be profoundly American in our country where we pride ourselves on being able to seek prosperity and independence. We have failed to be excellent.
More than ever, we need these values – but more importantly, we need to listen. We need to learn. We need to consciously recognize those things that prevent true, full, judgement-free communities that keep racism, xenophobia, hate and prejudices of all kinds from impacting the lives and futures of our community.
West Park Academy is here to be a part of those dialogues and movements that bring unity, and we will stand for nothing short of it. Our faculty and staff are committed to learning and growing. And we are committed to being teachers of truth and the histories of all people – especially those of color whose voices have been silenced, experiences invalidated, and histories quieted and nearly erased. We will stand against the injustices that have plagued our nation for centuries and those injustices that continue to threaten our citizens to this day; we stand against bullies small and tall.
Yours in education and community,
Mr. Jaissle
Principal, West Park Academy