Academic calendar
First Semester 2026 runs Jul 27, 2026 – Dec 18, 2026. Calendar aliases that share a date range are grouped together, with every source term still shown.
- Second Semester 2026
- First Semester 2026Relevant now
- Second Semester 2027
Campus language
Search the full glossary. Nothing is sampled or hidden when the search field is empty.
Showing 25 of 25 terms
C
- Chap Store
- The student-operated shop located near the cafeteria that sells snacks, drinks, and Westlake-branded apparel.
- Chaps
- Short for Chaparrals, the official school mascot.
D
- DECA
- The school's highly active chapter of the business and marketing student organization.
F
- FFA
- Future Farmers of America, the campus chapter for students interested in agriculture and leadership.
H
- HOSA
- Health Occupations Students of America, a club for students interested in medical and healthcare careers.
- Hyline
- The varsity dance team, a prominent spirit organization on campus.
L
- LT
- Shorthand for Lake Travis High School, Westlake's primary athletic and local rival.
M
- Mu Alpha Theta
- The national mathematics honor society for high school students.
N
- NHS
- National Honor Society, the campus chapter for high-achieving students.
R
- Redline
- The official name of the high-energy student spirit section at athletic events.
S
- SGA
- Student Government Association, the primary student leadership and advocacy body.
- STUCO
- The Student Council, responsible for organizing school events like Homecoming.
T
- TEC
- Technical Entertainment Crew, the student group that manages lighting and sound for the PAC.
- The Bubble
- A common term used by students to describe the affluent and sheltered environment of the Westlake/Eanes community.
- The Chap Store
- The on-campus shop selling snacks, drinks, and Westlake-branded apparel.
- The Commons
- The main cafeteria and central gathering space for students during lunch.
- The Lake
- A shorthand nickname for Westlake High School.
- The Pit
- The designated student cheering section at Chaparral Stadium and in the gymnasium.
- The Pit
- The central sunken cafeteria area where students eat and socialize.
- The Snack Bar
- A secondary food service line within the Commons offering quick-service items.
W
- Westlake Bubble
- A term used by students to describe the perceived socio-economic isolation or sheltered nature of the Westlake community.
- Westlake Way
- The unofficial code of conduct and high expectations for student behavior and achievement.
- WHS
- Common abbreviation for Westlake High School.
- WHS TV
- The award-winning student broadcast program that produces daily news and video content.
- WTV
- Westlake Television, the student-run broadcast journalism and film production program.
Places and practicalities
Buildings, logistics, and other local references drawn from the approved campus snapshot.
- A/B Days
- The block scheduling system where students attend periods 1-4 on 'A' days and periods 5-8 on 'B' days.
- Advisory
- A scheduled period for students to receive school news, complete administrative tasks, or study.
- Canvas
- The Learning Management System (LMS) where teachers post assignments and course materials.
- Chap Court
- The central outdoor courtyard where students often congregate during breaks.
- Late Start
- Refers to Wednesday mornings when classes begin later than the standard start time.
- NGC
- Ninth Grade Center, the dedicated building wing for freshman students.
- PAC
- Performing Arts Center, the primary venue for school performances and assemblies.
- Skyward
- The online portal used by students and parents to track grades, attendance, and schedules.
- Smart Tag
- The mandatory student ID system used for campus security and boarding school buses.
- SmartTag
- The electronic ID system required for students using district bus transportation.
- The Chap
- Chaparral Stadium, the primary outdoor sports arena for football and track.
- The Chap Court
- The main competition gymnasium used for basketball and volleyball games.
- The Competition Gym
- The primary gymnasium used for varsity basketball and volleyball games.
- The Library
- The campus media center, often used for quiet study and research.
- The NGC
- The Ninth Grade Center, a dedicated building/wing specifically for freshman classes.
- The PAC
- The Performing Arts Center, used for theater productions and school-wide assemblies.
- The Pit
- The school's main competition gymnasium.
- TLC
- Technical Learning Center, a wing of the school dedicated to career and technical education (CTE) courses.
Quick answers
Useful facts students can verify from the guide above.
- What academic term is relevant now?
- First Semester 2026 runs Jul 27, 2026 – Dec 18, 2026.
- How much campus context is included?
- 25 approved campus terms and 18 local details are included in full.
- Are all approved campus terms included?
- Yes. The complete approved glossary is available in the scrollable, searchable campus-language section.
- Where does this guide come from?
- Calendar dates, campus terms, and local details come from DormWay's approved campus reference library.