Westlake Academy [logo]

Westlake Academy is owned and operated by the Town of Westlake and is the largest operating department of the Town.  It is the only municipally owned and operated open enrollment charter school in the State of Texas.  As a department of the Town government, Westlake Academy’s financial management operates through two financial management mechanisms. 

First is Westlake Academy’s operating budget which supports the Academy’s daily operations and is funded by State of Texas public education funds and private donations.  These private donations are raised largely through the efforts of the annual Blacksmith Campaign, coordinated and conducted by the Westlake Academy Foundation.  The second financial management mechanism is the Town of Westlake’s municipal budget which contains significant financial resources dedicated to the Academy.  These resources include funds for payment of the debt service on all the bonds issued to build and expand the Academy, as well as provide financial administrative services, human resource services, and maintenance of the campus physical plant.

For that reason, Westlake Academy is governed by a six (6) member Board of Trustees comprised of the Board President and five (5) Trustees.  Members of the Board of Trustees also serve concurrently as members the Board of Aldermen, the governing body for municipal government of the Town of Westlake.  The President of the Board of Trustees is also the Town’s Mayor.  Trustees serve two (2) year overlapping terms of office and are responsible for the governance of Westlake Academy, including adopting policies related to its educational services and programs, as well as establishing its finances via approval of the Academy and Town annual budgets.  The Board works closely with the Westlake Academy Foundation including appointment of members of the Foundation’s board of directors.

The Board also appoints the management of the Academy.  The Board of Aldermen appoints the Town Manager/Chief Executive Officer as well as the Head of School positions for Westlake Academy.  The Town Manager/CEO oversees the Head of School, as well as the Academy and Town’s financial position as it pertains to Westlake Academy. 

Additionally, the Town Manager/CEO manages funding, functions, and services necessary to support Westlake Academy provided through the Town’s municipal government.  These include physical plant maintenance, financial administration, human resources, and the Academy’s debt service.  Together the Town Manager/CEO and Head of School work as a team in supporting the Board’s policy initiatives, discussions, and formulations, including strategic planning, as well as making recommendations to the Board related to policy options and choices for the Academy.  The Head of School is responsible for the operation, budget administration, and managerial oversight of Westlake Academy.  In this role, the Head of School is responsible for planning and implementing the Academy’s educational operations including selection of all Academy faculty and staff, curriculum design and strategic development (alongside and with the Town Manager and  the Board). He appoints and works with the Academy’s Senior Management Team (SMT) which is comprised of the Head of Primary, Head of Secondary, and Administrative Coordinator, in carrying out the day-to-day operations of the Academy.