1
WHAT IS THE
BELMONT ZONE OF CHOICE?
The Belmont Zone of Choice is
identified as the geographic area that
includes the following three
campuses:
Belmont
High School
2
Miguel
Contreras LC
Vista Hermosa
High School
All students entering 9th grade in
September 2008, who live in the Zone
of Choice, have the option to attend a
small school that meets their
academic interest.
Small schools include:
• New Technology HS (NTHS)
• Pilot Schools (PS)
• Small Learning Communities(SLC)
3
Why Small Schools/SLCs?
STUDENTS…
have higher attendance rates and lower dropout rates
have higher graduation and college attendance rates
achieve at higher levels
know their teachers and classmates well
enjoy a safer learning environment
TEACHERS…
 know their students well
 engage more with parents and community
 work closely with each other
 welcome community collaboration
 enjoy higher job satisfaction
4
PARENTS…
 are known well and their voices are heard
 become allies with teachers
 are respected as valuable resources
WHAT DO SMALL LEARNING COMMUNITIES,
NEW TECH HS AND PILOT SCHOOLS
HAVE IN COMMON…
all will have an A-G academic
curriculum
all will have a rigorous course of study
all will be on a Traditional calendar
all will meet or exceed State Standards
all will fulfill LAUSD high school
graduation requirements
all will be WASC accredited
5
What are some of the
DIFFERENCES
between a
Small Learning Community,
Pilot School
and
New Tech HS?
6
SMALL LEARNING COMMUNITIES (SLCs)
•are housed on a HS campus under the lead of a principal and the
collaboration of a lead teacher
•have certain flexibilities over teacher selection, curriculum, schedule, and
uses of other resources
•have California Department of Education code and accreditation under
main campus location code
New Tech High School (NTHS)
•housed in a separate space lead by a New Tech HS principal
•certain autonomy over teacher selection, curriculum, budget, professional
development, and schedule
•has own California Department of Education code and accreditation
7
Pilot Schools (PS)
•housed in separate space or building within the larger high school
campus under the lead of a Pilot School principal
•autonomy over staffing, budget, governance, curriculum, professional
development, assessment, schedule
•has own California Department of Education code and accreditation
2008-2009
Belmont Zone Choice
Schools
8
Academic Leadership Community
Pilot School located at Miguel Contreras LC
• ACADEMICS: The ALC offers an inclusive, college preparatory curriculum,
including the AVID program and an advisory class where AVID strategies are
offered to each student.
• LEADERSHIP: Explore leadership strengths and participates in authentic
leadership roles in our school and surrounding community.
• COMMUNITY: Annual fieldtrips to local colleges, college mentors, and after
school community classes, community college classes, and internships for all
students.
• Wide range of Honors and AP level classes including Honors English 9 and
10, Honors, Chemistry, Honors World History, AP English Language, AP
English Literature, AP United States, History, and AP Calculus.
9
• Affiliations and partnerships with colleges and community groups including
Loyola Marymount University, Santa Monica College, LACC, and the LA
Chamber of Commerce.
Activists for Educational Empowerment
Small Learning Community located at Vista Hermosa HS
•Emphasis on a Human Services career path: Psychology, Sociology and
Internship.
•A-G courses are team-taught and project-based team taught, career based
and emphasize social issues.
•Grade-level advisory classes will have a social issue theme where students
will complete a minimum of 100 service hours and a culminating servicelearning project at the end of four year.
•Opportunities for student leadership, college mentoring and outreach,
tutoring and enrichment, college and job shadowing, and social/academic
events and field trips.
10
•Seniors will have the opportunity to travel to a region in the world where they
will experience life in another country and participate in a community service
project during their stay.
Business and Finance
Small Learning Community located at Vista Hermosa HS
•Our academic focus is the world of general Business and Finance.
•Learn about economics, the world of finance, and careers in the
business and finance services industry.
•Opportunities for volunteer and paid business Internships
•Job Shadowing and Business speakers are an integral part of our
Small Learning community.
11
•All activities culminate in a special graduation (which includes a
certificate and an AOF Medal). Graduation is hosted by Urban
Educational Partnership.
Business and Tourism
Small Learning Community located at Miguel Contreras LC
•Students will be provided with a quality high school program
to allow students to move in a college and career pathway.
•Engage in interdisciplinary learning, service learning and
inquiry-based projects
•Opportunities for interaction with the business sector through
job-shadowing, internships, project-based assessment
practices
•Visits to museums, universities, and theatre performances
12
•Students will be eligible for business scholarships and a
graduation ceremony sponsored by the OMNI Hotel.
Civitas SOL
Pilot School located at Vista Hermosa HS
•Civitas School of Leadership (SOL) is a "1 to 1" School, meaning that every
student receives a modern Apple Laptop Computer for the duration of their
High School Education.
•Classes are held all over Los Angeles County, both indoors and outdoors, not
just in our school building.
•Students are Artists, Athletes, Musicians, Organizers, and Leaders in their
community.
•Civitas SOL is a Project-Based Learning School, where learning is made real
and relevant to students' lives through projects that include all subject areas.
13
•Civitas SOL is a community in which every student is known and appreciated
for who they are as an individual, for what makes them unique among their
peers.
Computer Science
Academy
Small Learning Community located
at Vista Hermosa HS
•The Computer Science Academy course of study is enhanced by
computer literacy.
•Students will be enrolled in one computer class per semester for
four years along with the required courses.
•A unique feature of our program is the adoption of hybrid-based,
project-based and scaffold-based learning techniques as a part of
classroom instruction.
•We have partnerships with colleges, businesses and community
centers
14
•Opportunities to participate in extracurricular activities such as
volunteer work, internships, mentoring, film production and web
design projects.
International School of Languages
Small Learning Community located at Vista Hermosa HS
•ISOL offers students 3-4 years of foreign language including French,
Spanish, and Arabic.
•Our career strand is in the public service sector with an emphasis on
bilingual clerical work in government, law enforcement and medical
occupations.
•We are working to develop internships in bilingual office work in the public
sector, such as hospitals, government offices and the court system.
•We work with organizations such as SALEF, The Cesar Chavez Foundation
and Generation Earth.
•We offer Advanced placement courses in Biology, Spanish Language and
Spanish Literature.
15
•Our many activities include the Annual Spring Festival of Student Work and
the Senior Graduation Banquet.
Los Angeles Academy of Medical
and Public Service
Small Learning Community located at Belmont High School
•The Los Angeles Academy of Medical and Public Service (LAAMPS) prides
itself in being one of the two SLC’s implementing the AVID program.
•LAAMPS participates in the USC / La Curacao Mexican American Academic
Achievement program.
•Opportunities to participate in the USC upper bound program.
•LAAMPS offers off track career technology courses which culminate in an
employment-ready certificate upon graduation.
•We have established partnerships with local medical facilities to develop and
16
facilitate meaningful student internships.
Los Angeles High School
of the Arts
Pilot School
located at Belmont High School
•Be a part of a college preparatory community with computers
for each student.
•Learn through working and creating together in and outside
of the classroom.
•Opportunities to participate in the production of three shows
a year.
•Opportunities to participate in a New Plays Festival to
showcase plays written, directed, designed and acted by
students.
17
•Juniors will work with Mentors and Seniors may intern at
theatres such as A Noise Within Theatre, Shakespeare
Festival LA, and Will & Company
Los Angeles School of Global Studies
New Tech High School located at Miguel Contreras LC
•Computers for every student in every classroom.
•Collaborate to solve real-world problems.
•Classes that are 100% project-based.
•Classes that are team-taught by two teachers and
integrated interdisciplinary in block periods (History
and English, Math and Science).
18
•Students build resumes that meet rigorous standards
of scholarship, community service, internships, and
citizenship.
Los Angeles Teacher
Preparation Academy
Pilot School
located at Belmont High School
•Participate in rigorous instruction that will
prepare you for college and allow you to
contribute to your school, community and
society as an educator.
•Students will be prepared to become effective,
powerful teachers.
19
•Participate in a program where teachers are
committed to training future
educators/teachers.
Multimedia Academy
Small Learning Community located at Belmont High School
• The Multimedia Academy gives students the
opportunity to participate in classes where technology
is integrated across the curriculum.
• We offer a variety of technology courses such as
graphic arts, web development, video production, and
digital photography.
• Students have opportunity to pursue internships and
mentoring programs with Fox Studios, the Bresee
Foundation, and the Echo Park Film Center.
• A new state-of-the-art video production and media
20
studio for Multimedia Academy students will open in
one year
School of Awareness and Global
Education
Small Learning Community located at Belmont High School
Highlights of our school include…
•a focus on communications and journalism
•courses on music and the arts
•learn about automotive technology
•become aware of issues that effect young adults
both locally and globally
21
•college preparation and entry
School of Social Justice
Small Learning Community located at Miguel Contreras LC
•Participate in a college preparatory program.
•Participate in Service Learning projects beyond the
graduation requirement.
•Participate in a specialized curriculum focused on global
issues and a history of social justice including projects that
focus on such issues as voter registration, AIDS awareness
and immigrant rights.
•Attend curricular and field trips.
22
•Opportunities to interact with business and community
leaders.
School for
Visual Arts
and Humanities
Pilot School
Vista Hermosa HS
•Our SMALL SCHOOL will give you the attention, support and skills you
need to succeed in your classes.
•Learn to THINK FOR YOURSELF and defend your views through classes
that connect to each other and to art.
•Be creative in ART CLASSES such as Drawing, Painting, Sculpture,
Ceramics and AP Studio Art for all four years of high school.
•Come to FIELD TRIPS at the J. Paul Getty Museum, Huntington Library
and Gardens, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Museum of
Contemporary Art, Museum of Tolerance, Norton Simon Museum and the
Science Center.
23
•Participate in INTERNSHIPS and SUMMER ARTS PROGRAMS at Disney
Imagineering, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, and the Museum of
Contemporary Art, Innerspark and more!
Application
Process
24
Who can apply?
Students entering the 9th grade in September
2008, and live in the Belmont Zone of Choice
may apply.
When can you apply?
Applications will be mailed to the homes of
8th grade students who live within the Belmont
attendance area on March 14th.
When does the application
period end?
25
Friday, March 28, 2008
at 5:00 p.m.
How will applications be
distributed?
• Applications will include a return POSTAGE
PAID return envelope.
• Applications should be mailed in the envelope
provided.
• Schools will NOT accept applications.
• Applications must be received at Local
District 4 by 5:00 on Friday, March 28, 2008
What happens once the
application is received at Local
District 4?
26
Applications will be date-stamped and input
into the BZOC SIS system as they arrive.
How will students be selected?
• Each school will be filled as applications
arrive at Local District 4.
• Every effort will be made to accommodate
students’ first, second, or third choice.
• Once a school is full the list will be closed.
• Applications, that are not filled out correctly
or do not fill out an application by the due
date, will complete unfilled school lists.
How will students be notified?
27
• Student assignment letters will be mailed to homes
the week of April 14th.
• Schools will receive official lists and contact
students with orientation information.
How do I pick my
school
for 9th grade?
Choose by
academic interest!
28
Example:
I’m interested in Law Enforcement
My selections would start with #1 as my first choice, #2 second, #3 third choice, #4 fourth
choice, … #15 as last choice.
Pref #
(1-14)
29
School Name
Type of Small School
Site
(SLC, Pilot, New Tech)
4
Academic Leadership Community
Pilot School
Miguel Contreras LC
3
Academy for Educational Empowerment
Small Learning Community
Vista Hermosa HS
10
Business and Finance Academy
Small Learning Community
Vista Hermosa HS
9
Business and Tourism
Small Learning Community
Miguel Contreras LC
5
Civitas SOL
Pilot School
Vista Hermosa HS
8
Computer Science Academy
Small Learning Community
Vista Hermosa HS
13
International School of Languages
Small Learning Community
Vista Hermosa HS
11
Los Angeles Academy of Medical and Public
Services
Small Learning Community
Belmont HS
6
Los Angeles High School of Global Studies
New Tech HS
Miguel Contreras LC
15
Los Angeles High School of the Arts
Pilot School
Belmont HS
14
Los Angeles Teacher Preparation Academy
Pilot School
Belmont HS
12
Multimedia Academy
Small Learning Community
Belmont HS
7
School for Visual Arts and Humanities
Pilot School
Vista Hermosa HS
2
School of Awareness and Global
Empowerment
Small Learning Community
Belmont HS
1
School of Social Justice
Small Learning Community
Miguel Contreras LC
Important to remember:
•Fill out your the application
completely and correctly
•use the return postage paid
envelope to mail your application
•do not return applications to any
school site
30
•application must be received by
5:00 p.m on Friday, March 28th
Questions?
•Please contact your school
Middle School administrator
•Visit the Local District 4 website at:
http://www.lausd.net/District_4/
-click on “Offices”
-click on “Belmont Zone of Choice”
•Contact Local District 4 at:
(323) 932-2000 or (323) 932-2221
31
Booths are available
for you to visit to
obtain more information
on each Small School.
Thank you for your attending.
32