Westmore High principal highlights gains in literacy, lower suspensions and new student supports

Victor Zao, principal of Westmore High School, told the Jefferson Union High School District board that the school’s theme for the year is “here at Westmore, we look out for one another,” and he framed recent test-score and climate changes around that approach.

Zao said Westmore’s 2025 CAASPP results show about 66% of students at or above state standards in English language arts and roughly 38% at or above standard in mathematics. He also presented internal grade data showing an increase to about 7,100 A/B/C grades recorded across the first two grading periods this year, up from roughly 6,500–6,600 in 2024.

“We’ve been centering literacy in all of our subjects,” Zao said, adding that teachers and counselors are using flex periods to provide targeted academic and language supports for students learning English. He described flex sessions with bilingual aides and staff-led interventions for freshmen who show early warning signs of falling grades.

Zao credited several site programs for the improvements. Link Crew, a peer-mentoring system that pairs upperclassmen with freshmen, is operating schoolwide and — Zao said — is one reason freshmen suspensions fell to zero this year. Zao noted the school reported 19 total suspensions year-to-date and that none were freshmen. He attributed a reduction in out-of-school suspensions to targeted supports and to an increased focus on social and emotional programming.

The principal described additional supports including a school-based food distribution called the T Market, expanded counseling and mindfulness offerings, young men’s and women’s groups, and a partnership with the Daly City Youth Health Center and its Inspire program to provide in-school, confidential drug counseling as an alternative to suspension.

Board members thanked Zao for the data and asked for more disaggregated information. Trustee Andy Lee asked whether the board could see grade breakdowns by subject and subgroup; Zao said the school monitors D/F rates most closely and is working to break results down by course and demographic to identify gaps.

Zao also described digital report cards sent through ParentSquare once every grading period as a communication tool to prompt earlier parent–teacher interventions.

The board praised Westmore’s equity-focused initiatives and community supports. The presentation concluded with the board asking for follow-up data on suspensions and subgroup performance.