About Us - (See Photos Below)
General Information: Traverse City West Senior High School is a comprehensive school for grades 9-12. Services for the students are offered through the center-based special education program, gifted and talented program, dual enrollment, transition program (support for students at risk of dropping out of high school and/or failing classes), academic assistance (provides academic support within the classrooms and tutoring opportunities for individuals at risk of failure), and the Career Tech Center.
Interesting Information: TC West Senior High School is 252,390 square feet, that's over four football fields! West also consists of 56 classrooms, 27 on the top and 32 on the main floor. West has many dedicated staff members. There are 118 certified staff members and fifty-two non-certified staff members working with our students. This includes many cafeteria workers and maintenance workers.
Students are offered courses in 14 departments. Honors courses are available in language arts, mathematics, science, social studies, and foreign language.
The Advanced Placement program includes these 15 course offerings: Biology, Calculus AB, Calculus BC, Chemistry, English Language and Composition, English Literature and Composition, United States History, European History, Macroeconomics, Microeconomics, United States Government & Politics, Spanish, Statistics, Studio Arts, and World History. Accreditation status has been initiated through the North Central Association. Other associations include charter membership in the National Alliance of High Schools and Big North Athletic Conference.
An Academic Assistance Program monitors and supports the Michigan High School Proficiency Testing Program (MEAP). Students are involved in decision making throughout the high school and at the district level through School Improvement, Interview and Strategic Planning Committees. One student is a nonvoting member of the Traverse City Area Public Schools Board of Education. Approximately 30 students are completing course work at Northwestern Michigan College through the Dual Enrollment Program.
Average class size is 26 with six class periods of varying lengths. Due to block scheduling classes do not meet every day. The high school is involved in continuous quality improvement through Strategic Planning. Curriculum and instruction are directed toward five Adult Roles identified by the community to be Citizen, Consumer, Family Member, Lifelong Learner and Worker. Class rank is computed by percentile based on semester grades for courses in grades 9-12. Grades are not weighted.