I was reminded of this as our second-ever New Student Academy unfolded this past week.  One of our incoming students, while celebrating her birthday, remarked, "I have only been at LACHSA two days and I feel like I already have a family."  Although we can sometimes take it for granted, this does not reflect the experience of most high school students--and certainly not during their first week at a new school!

 

The success of the New Student Academy is due in large measure to our amazing leadership students.  Under the capable vision of academic dean, Cara Livermore, our students--empowered and inspired--represent the best of LACHSA.  I wish to extend a special thanks to the LACHSA Parent Council and the entire parent community for their support throughout the exhilarating (and exhaustive) three-day academy.

 

 

Click here for more pictures from our New Student Academy 2011

 

 

We have much to celebrate this upcoming school year.  Our new building--our first ever--is under construction and will serve as the new home for our artist/scholars.  Our 2nd annual LACHSA Walk for the Arts kicks into high gear, and LACHSA Live! returns.  Musical theatre, so important to the fabric of our school, will shift to a long-awaited dual major focus with auditions upcoming soon.  Service learning, through our partnership with Encompass, is an exciting opportunity now available to all of our students.  New international partnerships will provide our students with opportunities to travel the world while acquiring cultural knowledge and international connections.  Our historic partnership with the Arts High Foundation will look to top its unprecedented fundraising last year with many exciting initiatives this upcoming school year.  LACHSA's achievements would not be possible without their indefatigable efforts and unyielding support. 

 

Of course, our most important work happens in the arts and academic classrooms.  While our classes may be a little bigger our arts and academic programs are not only intact, but flourishing.

 

As a community of artist/scholars we have the opportunity to harness the unique world view of our students to create the most creative and engaging classroom environments.  This will be our school-wide professional development focus for the upcoming school year:

 

School-wide Goal #1

We will collaboratively examine teaching, learning, and assessment practices that promote student engagement and use qualitative and quantitative data to inform our work.

 

Prioritizing this work during our Friday morning professional development is essential to our faculty as we continue to reflect on and strengthen our practice.   

 

LACHSA's Newest Appointments 2011-12 

 

Jon Artigo, film chair 

 

Javier Armijo, film faculty 

 

Jay San Augustin, earth science 

 

Madison Eginton, film department assistant chair/admissions coordinator