The first graduating class was the class of 1980. The first principal was William Albers. All students entering Westlake High School in 1979 signed a charter, which sits in the office today. Ron Lipari was the principal of WHS for 15 years.[2] In 2015, Jason Branham was selected as the new principal.[3]
Academics
Rankings
Newsweek has consistently ranked WHS as one of the top high schools in the United States. In 2015, Westlake's average score on Advanced Placement exams was 3.65.[4] In 2016, Westlake ranked as the 119th top high school in the United States and the 15th-best high school in the state of California.[5]
It is one of four high schools in the Conejo Valley Unified School District, that consistently has significantly above-average AP and SAT scores, and 96% of graduating seniors go on to attend some type of college or further education.[6]
Academic teams
Westlake High School is home to several organized competitive academic teams, including: VEX Robotics, Academic Decathlon, Mock Trial, Science Olympiad, FBLA, and HOSA. In 2016, Westlake High School won the Ventura County Academic Decathlon for the fifth year in a row.[7]
Advanced anatomy
Westlake High offers a course called Advanced Anatomy. In the course, students work on a human cadaver.[8] Nancy Bowman, a physiology teacher, started the program in 1990.[8] As of 1994, the school was the only school in the United States to have a second-year program in advanced anatomy.[9]Jordan Michaels, co-founder of Ringadoc, participated in the program.[10] In 2015, Dr. Ira Byock spoke to the honors class about Death With Dignity laws.[11]
From 1995 to 1999, the WHS boys' swim team won five consecutive Marmonte League titles.[12] In 2001, WHS opened an aquatics complex on its campus.[13] As of 2014, WHS boys' swim team had won three straight Marmonte League titles.[12][14] WHS grad Veronika Weiss, who played on the girls' water polo team, was killed in the Isla Vista shooting.[15] In 2015, the school retired her number 11.[15]
California's Westlake High School football players drop flower petals in the water in honor of Lt. j.g. Francis L. Toner IV and Spc. A.J. Castro during a memorial held at the USS Arizona Memorial. Toner and Castro, graduates of Westlake, died during Operation Enduring Freedom
Westlake has had successful golf teams. In 2002, Senior Brian Van Heel won the CIF/CGA California State High School Championship. In 2014, the Westlake High School boys golf team won the CIF/CGA California State High School Championship.[19] In 2015, the boys golf team again won the CIF/ CGA State Championship, becoming the first school to ever win back-to-back state titles in California.[20]
Soccer
In the late 1980s, Eric Wynalda and Cobi Jones played on the boys' soccer team. In the 1986–87 season, Jones and Wynalda helped the team post a 22-2-2 record and led them to the semifinals of the Southern Section 4-A Division playoffs.[21]
The Arts
The Carpenter Family Theatre
In 2010, Westlake High School's theatre, built in the 1970s, was expanded and renovated, and its name was changed to The Carpenter Family Theatre. It is named after The Carpenters, who initially approached the school about expanding and renovating the theatre, and donated an initial contribution to jumpstart construction.[22]
Filming site
Blink 182's music video for "Josie" (1998) was filmed at Westlake High School, using official Westlake High School uniforms.Video on YouTube
The 1994 movie A Friend to Die For was filmed at Westlake High School, using official Westlake High School cheer uniforms with the logo removed.[23]
The 2006 movie Gridiron Gang was filmed at Westlake High School.[24]
Halsey's music video for "Colors" (2016) was filmed at Westlake High School, using the football field, classroom, and quad.
Notable alumni
Anthony Angelini (born 1994), entrepreneur, event producer, and humanitarian
Christian Yelich (born 1991), Major League Baseball player, 2018 National League MVP.
Notes
^Although the address lies within the city limits of Thousand Oaks, the school officially uses "Westlake Village" as its postal city, which can be verified using USPS address validation.
