WNS in the news
News
& Updates
May 2024
Westside Neighborhood School Announces Purchase of 132,000sf Building on 5 Acre Property at 5340 Alla Road in Playa Vista
PLAYA VISTA, Los Angeles, Calif. (May 15, 2024) — Westside Neighborhood School (WNS) – a private independent school that has been educating children from preschool through 8th grade since 1980 – announced the transformational purchase of a 132,000-square-foot building sitting on over 5 acres of land in Playa Vista – a move that will secure the future of the school, which currently leases its three-building campus.
We are so proud of WNS alum, Sadie (’23), for not only taking it upon herself to research how business operations work at WNS, interviewing faculty and members of the business office, but also for submitting her article to NBOA: Business Leadership for Independent Schools and getting it published… all completely of her own accord! Thank you, Sadie, for shining a light on WNS and may you always remain curious!
Jan 2022 – Building Lifelong Learners Through Exploration
The educational theory called social constructivism empowers even the youngest children to learn through independent exploration, reflection, and group discussion.
Kelly Massey, Director of Early Childhood Education at WNS, brings this theory to life at the ECC where the environment is considered the “third teacher,” offering a nurturing, home-like setting with rich open-ended materials, natural light, and indoor/outdoor classrooms.
Jan 2022 – Brad Zacuto, head of school at Westside Neighborhood School in Playa Vista, says that while the school does not teach CRT, “Our curriculum is based on true American history.
“As a private institution, we are fortunate to have the opportunity, and the responsibility, to develop a curriculum that allows our students to have an accurate understanding of the past so they may create the future they want to see,” he says.
Nov 2020 – “Westside Neighborhood School in Playa Vista, which has received a waiver, welcomed its 85 kindergarteners and first-graders back in early October. Higher grades are gradually being worked back into campus life.
The school has established a surveillance COVID-19 testing program, with 900 tests issued to students and staff so far — all with negative results, said Head of School Bradley Zacuto.”
Oct 2020 – “For us, our youngest kids, 5- and 6-year-olds, should not be in front of screens all day,” said Bradley Zacuto, head of the private Westside Neighborhood School, where 85 kindergartners and first-graders came back to school in early October.
“They are missing out on really critical social skills development. They are missing out on really critical academic foundation work and assessments.”
