Westfield Washington Schools has announced that, effective immediately, Alicia Denniston has been named the principal of Westfield High School (WHS).
Denniston
Most recently, Denniston served as interim co-principal of WHS with Bill Naas since June. Prior to that, she was Assistant Principal at WHS for eight years and previously served as a teacher for five years. Other education experience include teaching Spanish at Felicity-Franklin High School in Ohio, teaching Spanish and English at Shelbyville High School in Indiana as well as student teaching at Pendleton Heights Middle School in Indiana.
“My family and I are excited and honored to continue serving Westfield High School and the entire Shamrock community,” Denniston said. “I look forward to continuing to foster a culture that enables our faculty and staff to provide the exemplary education that Westfield High School is known for. I am excited about our continued efforts to make sure that EVERY Rock has a voice, EVERY Rock finds their passion and purpose, EVERY Rock feels valued at WHS, and EVERY Rock leaves us Life Ready.”
With an enrollment of approximately 2,500 students, Westfield High School maintains an A-rating with the Indiana Department of Education and a 98 percent graduation rate. WHS is ranked the fourth-best high school in the Indianapolis area and was named a Distinguished School by Project Lead the Way, a STEM-focused non-profit, in 2020.
Superintendent Dr. Sherry Grate said, “I’m thrilled for Alicia and I am confident that her diverse leadership experience will serve as an inspiration to propel WHS. She will also contribute significantly to the district leadership team. I’ve been fortunate to work alongside her for four years and I’ve witnessed her leadership development first hand. During this time of countless uncertainties, Alicia has been a rock for everyone in that building.”
Denniston received her master’s degree in education administration and supervision from Ball State and her bachelor’s degree in English and Spanish education from Anderson University. She is a champion of student-centered teaching practices and has led many high school-level efforts related to student-centered curriculum and instruction, professional learning communities, and workshops related to effective assessment and intervention.
Denniston, her husband Matt and their four children, Westfield Washington Schools students, live in Westfield and love being a part of the community.
Opportunities for faculty, staff, students, parents and members of the community to meet and talk to Alicia Denniston will be announced.