Venice High School
100 Years of
Academic Excellence
THE VENICE HIGH
SCHOOL FOR ADVANCED
STUDIES
(SAS)
In 1998, responding to community demand,
the Los Angeles Unified School District
established the Advanced Studies Program
to expand instructional programs designed
to meet the needs of gifted and talented
students.
Based on Venice High’s already established
success in offering Advanced Placement
and Honors courses, the school was
selected as a “Phase 1” implementation
and demonstration site.
We were again approved last year after all
LAUSD schools were required to re-apply
for SAS status.
The Venice High School SAS is set up to meet the
needs of Gifted and Talented (GATE) students
and high-performing students from the large
regular-school population. Because they are not
part of the STEMM or Foreign Language Magnet,
they have more room in their schedules to
pursue sports and other extracurricular interests.
Eligibility
• The SAS program is offered to LAUSD resident students in Grades 1-12 who meet the
criteria. Each student must be verified by the school of attendance as meeting one of the
following three criteria:
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(1) -- Demonstrate ability in all four critical-thinking and problem-solving skills in their
primary language.
Explain meanings or relationships among facts, information, or concepts that demonstrate
depth and complexity.
Formulate new ideas or solutions and elaborate on the information.
Use alternative methods in approaching new or unfamiliar mathematical problems.
Use extensive vocabulary easily and accurately to express creative ideas.
• (2) --Percentile scores of 85 or above in both total reading and total mathematics
on standardized norm-reference tests
or --Scaled scores on the California Standards Test (CST) as follows:
• A scaled score of 445 or above in English-Language Arts, grades 2-11 and
• A scaled score of 450 or above in mathematics, grades 2-7 or
• A scaled score of 450 or above for grades 8 and above in one of the following math content
courses: Algebra I or II; Geometry; Integrated Math I, II or III; High School Summative
Math.
• (3) Identification as gifted in any of the categories by an LAUSD school psychologist.
SAS at Venice High School
• Students who live in the Venice High
School environs and meet the criteria
listed on the previous slide are
automatically included in the SAS
• Students who live outside the Venice High
School environs, but live within the LAUSD
boundaries may apply for admittance.
• Transportation is not provided, however.
Applications
• Again, eligible students who live within the Venice High
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School environs do not need to apply for the VHS SAS.
Other LAUSD students may apply between April 2nd, and
April 30th and for as long as we have spaces left.
Applications are available at the student’s current school or
go to the VHS SAS page to print one out.
Hand in the application to Ms. Ruth Greene or to Ms. Oku in
the attendance office.
Check the SAS page on the VHS website for updates:
www.venicehigh.net
You may also consult the LAUSD GATE website:
www.lausd.net and type in GATE
Unlike private schools and smaller publicallyfunded schools, Venice High School’s size makes
it possible to offer a wide range of academic and
extracurricular opportunities.
The VHS course and extracurricular offerings are
among the broadest at any school in Southern
California, ranging from Italian to Advanced
Placement Physics, art to choir, water polo to
golf.
SAS students can challenge their intellects by
taking AP and Honors classes. VHS offers
Honors classes such as:
Honors English 9A/B
Honors English 10A/B
Honors Contemporary Composition
Honors American Literature
Advanced Composition
Honors US History
Honors Geometry
Honors Algebra 2A/B
Honors Trigonometry/
Math Analysis
Honors Physiology
Honors Biology
And Advanced Placement
(AP) classes such as:
AP English Language &
Composition
AP English Literature
& Composition
AP World History
AP Us History
AP Government
AP Biology
AP Chemistry
AP Music Theory
AP Studio Art
AP Art History
AP Spanish Language
AP Calculus AB/BC
VHS SAS students may challenge their
bodies by joining sports teams. We offer:
Golf
Swimming
Volleyball
Softball
Cheerleading
Tennis
Football
Soccer
Track
Drill Team
Water Polo
Basketball
Baseball
Cross-country
Diving
VHS SAS students may develop personal interests and find friends by joining
clubs such as:
JK Living
The Jewish Student Union
The Recycling Club
Help for the Handi
Black Student Union
Christian Club
Chatelaines & Esquires
German Club
Heal the Bay
Heart 2 Heart
Knights & Ladies
Korean Club
MESA
One World
Robotics Club
Tolerance Club
Pre-Med Club
Dance Club
MEChA
Best Buddies
Chinese Club
French Club
Paintball Club
Gay-Straight Alliance
Graphics Club
Health Club
Japanese Club
Model Congress
Library Book Club
Multi-Cultural Student Union
Renaissance Club
Students Run LA
Ultimate Frisbee Club
Hockey Club
Poetry Club
Academic Competitions
VHS SAS students may elect to complete in
academic competitions such as:
Model Congress
The Science Bowl
Academic Decathlon
National Journalism Convention
Sports Medicine
MESA
Graphic Arts
The National Council of Teachers of English
Writing Competition
ELECTIVES: As part of the regular school, students have room in their
schedules to develop interests by enrolling in elective classes. We offer:
Marching Band
Theater
Music
Landscape
Medical Terminology
Auto Tech
Yearbook
Library Practice
Art
Graphic Arts
Choir
Journalism
Sports Therapy
AVID
Leadership
Peer Counseling
The American High School
Experience
• Because of our size VHS’s students’ participate in all of the rituals that go along with
being an American Teenager.
Prom
Homecoming Game
Homecoming Dance
ACADEMIC SUPPORT
VHS offers:
After school tutoring programs on campus
AVID – Advancement Via Individual Determination
Upward Bound
Collaborations with:
826LA
The Boys and Girls Club
KCET
LACMA
SPARC
UCLA EAOP – Early Academic Outreach Program
Corporate Sponsorships
Communities in Schools
COLLEGE OFFICE
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Dedicated College Counselor
Help with applying for college
Students meet with college representatives
Help with Financial Aid
College Fairs
Student Recognition Night
Presentations in Classrooms
Meetings with Students and Parents
College Application and Financial Aid Workshops
As a result of the wide range of choices available
to our students, Venice High School’s wellrounded graduates annually gain admission to
top universities and colleges including:
Cornell
Dartmouth
U Penn
Brown
Yale
Stanford
UCLA
UC Berkeley
MIT
UCSB
UCSD
Princeton
LMU
Harvard
Cal Tech
Juilliard
Wash U
CalPoly Pomona
USF
UCD
San Diego State
• VHS SAS students are taught by highly qualified
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teachers.
VHS teachers are certified for instruction in their
content areas.
Teachers assigned SAS Honors and Advanced
Placement courses complete a further 16 hours
of rigorous training in AP and/or GATE subject
matter each year.
Nine Venice teachers have achieved National
Board Certification.
Many private and publically-funded schools do
not have to conform to these standards.
Jupiter Grades
• Most Venice High Teachers are using an on-line
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grading program called Jupiter Grades.
Students and parents can check grades by
logging on to the site at any time.
Students and Parents can receive notifications
when an assignment has not been turned in.
Teachers can email parents through the
program.
Teachers can post assignments and upload
directions and handouts on the site.
Computers
• Students have access to computers –
– in
– in
– in
– in
our library
our computer labs
individual classrooms
Super Shop 9 – the Graphic Arts classroom
SAS Student Spotlight
• Many of the VHS SAS scholars are part of the football
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team.
Alijah Lee is a running back for the varsity football team
in addition to being enrolled in honors and AP classes. As
a junior, he is already receiving recruitment letters from
major universities who are looking for brains as well as
brawn. One of the most recent letters
came from UC "Cal" Berkeley.
In the 2012/13 football season, Alijah scored
25 touchdowns. He also has a 4.0.
No wonder "Cal" wants him!
Alijah is enrolled in Honors Contemporary
Composition, & AP US History. In 9th grade
he took Honors English 9, and in 10th he
took Honors English 10 & World History.
SAS Student Spotlight
• Many SAS students are
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leaders in their communities.
Lillian Horin is an SAS student
who has made an impact on
the Los Angeles community.
She has earned more than
1000 hours of community
service, is a member of Model
Congress, and is currently the
President of the Gay-Straight
Alliance.
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For her impact, she was
awarded the ABC7 “Cool Kids”
Award in 2010, and was 1st
Place for the Tony Borbon
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Youth Scholarship (for
Preventing Violence) in 2012.
She is currently a Posse
Foundation Semi-Finalist.
As a 12th grader, Lillian is
currently enrolled in AP
Government, AP Psychology, and
AP Studio Art.
In 11th grade, she took English
Language, AP Chemistry, and
Honors US History. In 10th grade
she took Honors World History
and Honors Spanish III.
The Venice faculty is committed to innovative
reform while at the same time maintaining
proven traditions of academic excellence.
VHS teachers are in the process of developing
Small Learning Communities modeled on
the “school within a school” concept.
• The SLC “school within a school” concept
helps students who may have previously
felt lost in a large school population forge
connections with teachers and other
students.
• Students will have the benefit of a small
school, while also having access to the
numerous course offerings and
extracurricular activities available at a
large school.
• The VHS small learning communities are:
MEDIA – Media, Entertainment, Drama,
Industry, and the Arts
PAHHS- Public Affairs, Health, and Human
Services
MEDIA
• Media, Entertainment, Drama, Industry, & the Arts
• MEDIA teachers will infuse media throughout the
curriculum by:
– using technology/media whenever possible to
deliver instruction.
– assigning projects that incorporate media products.
– emphasizing Media Literacy in all the MEDIA SLC
classes.
MEDIA students will explore interests in media,
entertainment, drama, industry and the arts by
taking elective classes such as drama, journalism,
art, graphics arts, yearbook, music, choir, etc.
PAHHS
• Public Affairs, Health
& Human services
PAHHS is dedicated to building a community
of diverse and talented learners,
promoting civic engagement, and
developing leadership in fields of health &
human services.
• GATE & SAS students will be spread
throughout the honors and AP classes
within the small learning communities.
• If an honors or AP class is not offered in
the SLC, the GATE and/or SAS students
will enroll in a passport class populated
with students from all the academies and
SLC’s.
The College Fair
• Venice High School’s large SAS population
is attractive to colleges. We hold college
fairs annually.