FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What are the Main Office hours?
Monday to Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Where are students dropped off and picked up?
Please drop off and pick up your child in the student parking lot, located in the southeast corner of the school, off Briar Home. Do NOT use the circle drive (except for students with disabilities) or stop along Briar Forest.
Where should students park?
Students may park in the Student Lot in assigned spaces with a permit or on the street where allowed by city ordinance. Students with off-campus privileges must park in the Student Lot if they intend to exercise those privileges during the school day. Students may not park in any other campus parking lot. Students parked in unauthorized spaces will be towed at the owner’s expense! Information on parking permits, including the application, is available on our Parking web page.
Where do visitors park?
Visitors to the Westside Campus should park in the Circle Drive off Briar Forest in the spaces designated for that purpose. Please do not park in reserved spaces or the fire lane! If the Circle Drive lot is full, you may park in the adjacent lot in front of the school EXCEPT during the hours of 7:30-8:30 am and 2:30-4:00 pm on school days when the lot is reserved for school buses only. If you are attending a school event after 4:00 pm, you may park in any Westside lot but please be aware that the gates on both the Student Lot and Faculty Lot at the rear of the school will be locked at 9:00 pm.
What is the bell schedule?
On Monday, Tuesday and Friday, we follow a 7 period bell schedule and classes meet for 50 minutes. On Wednesday and Thursday, we follow a block schedule with 90 minute classes. Periods 1, 3, 5, and 7 meet Wednesday and periods 2, 4, and 6 meet Thursday. The first bell on Thursday rings at 9:20am. Please note that off-campus is available 7th Period ONLY; Thursdays will NOT include an off-campus period. (Please see website Bell Schedule.)
Why the block schedule on Wednesday and Thursday?
One of the measures of an exceptional school is academic excellence and in order to achieve this, professional learning must be ongoing. Research has indicated that the only effective method is to enable staff planning during the contract day. The block schedule permits us to incorporate professional learning on Thursday morning without significantly lengthening the school day. (With fewer periods, less time in needed to pass between classes.)
Who is eligible for bus transportation?
Students who are zoned to Westside High School and live more than 2 miles from the school are eligible for HISD bus transportation. Non-zoned students in our Magnet Program are also eligible. Those with Career & Technology or M-to-M (majority to minority) transfers may be eligible for transportation if space is available. Additional information can be found on our Bus Transportation web page.
How do I know which small I school I belong to and who my dean is?
Your small school is indicated on your ID badge by location. (For example, E1 stands for East 1 – Business Academy; see page 31 for the five small school designations.) Dean lists will be posted at the entrance to each small school (also known as houses) with students listed alphabetically.
My child’s schedule is wrong. What do we do?
Getting every student the courses they need and want is a formidable job and most will have to request a change (either as a correction or change of heart) sometime in their four years at Westside. Students complete a Schedule Change Request Form available from their small school secretary and must turn it in by the due date. The deans will make the changes (or call the student in) and issue a new schedule. Please allow your child to handle this and give us time to make changes at the beginning of each semester.
Who do I call if my child is having a problem?
Concerns are best resolved by going directly to the source. Most issues are related to the classroom so please contact the teacher by email or phone. The Westside Way Handbook section on Contacting Westside includes a list of other faculty members as well as troubleshooting tips.
How will I know if school has been cancelled due to weather?
HISD maintains an inclement weather hotline at 713-267-1704 and typically will post school closings on their website at houstonisd.org. You can also check local television/radio stations as HISD releases this information immediately to the press.
Do you have a “Lost and Found?”
Yes. It is located in the Main Office.