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Irvine high schools have strong showing in Register's rankings
By LAUREN JOW
2013-04-03 12:04:24
Like any good sibling rivalry, the four sister high schools of Irvine Unified School District might try to outdo each other, but at the end of the day, they're still family.
Each has a distinct personality ? the eldest is ambitious and competitive, one is sweet-natured and reconciliatory, another is active with varied interests, and the youngest is a bit of all the above.
It's a product of a decentralized school district that, much like an understanding parent, lets the kids decide what they want to be and what's the best way to get there.
We've put together a brief family portrait of the district's four comprehensive high schools, three of which ranked in the top 10 of the Orange County Register's 2013 countywide rankings. Know any clubs, students or faculty who deserve recognition? Send the details to irvine@ocregister.com.
All statistics are for 2012 unless otherwise noted.
IRVINE HIGH
4321 Walnut Ave.
949-936-7000
irvinehigh.org
Overview
Positivity is in the water at Irvine High School, where faculty and students foster a sense of unity and support. It's a product of the Positive Behavior Intervention Support philosophy of integrity, honoring self and others, and social responsibility.
A successful teacher advisement program pairs up students with an adviser for all four years, while eight-period block scheduling gives students flexibility in their pursuits.
But it's the students that push for positivity. During this year's Unity Week, note cards were taped to the walls with messages of "You are beautiful" and "Put a smile on your face," a Mix It Up luncheon encouraged students to sit with new people at lunch, and a speaker came to campus to discuss bullying.
Out of that cohesive atmosphere comes the typical academic and extracurricular achievements for which Irvine Unified School District schools are known:
?Student newspaper El Vaquero took second in the Orange County Journalism Education Association Write-Offs in March, a competition the paper has won for the past two years.
?Six freshmen won their respective contests in National History Day and are headed to the state competition.
?This year, the California Interscholastic Federation recognized 18 of 21 athletic programs for having a 3.0 average GPA or higher.
?The Quiz Bowl and Science Olympiad teams compete well throughout Southern California.
?The arts program has earned the campus a GRAMMY Signature School finalist nod again this year.
Size
Enrollment: 1,826
Student-teacher ratio: 27 to 1
Average class size: 30
Academics
API: 877
SAT average: 1810 with 60 percent of students tested
ACT average: 27
Advanced Placement enrollment: 1,102
AP courses: 13
AP test pass rate: 91 percent with 45 percent of AP students tested
Demographics
Asian, 41.7 percent; white, 31.1 percent; Hispanic, 14.5 percent; Filipino, 3.8 percent; African American, 3.5 percent; Pacific Islander, 0.4 percent; American Indian, 0.4 percent; two or more races, 4.3 percent
Graduation
Graduation rate: 99 percent
Graduates eligible to attend UC/CSU: 38 percent
Post-grad plans: 55 percent of graduating seniors are eligible to enter four-year college or university; 45 percent go into four-year, post-secondary schools; 53 percent enter community college
Discipline
Truancy rate: 45.6 percent
Violence/drug expulsions: 13
Violence/drug suspensions: 60
Persistently dangerous expulsions: 6
Total suspensions: 76
Total expulsions: 13
NORTHWOOD HIGH
4515 Portola Parkway
949-936-7200
northwoodhigh.org
Overview
The new kid on the block, Northwood High School has had a reputation for innovation and creativity since the school opened its doors in 1999. Northwood was the district's highest ranked high school in this year's special report from the Orange County Register, coming in at No. 4 countywide.
Northwood's success comes from blending the best aspects of its three sister schools ? with rigorous academics, block scheduling, supportive student body and faculty as well as an award-winning arts program that picked up its fourth GRAMMY Signature School honor this year. (To put it in perspective, only 10 schools nationwide were named this year.) An overwhelming 1,233 students are enrolled in the school's music program.
The school fosters a competitive but supportive atmosphere, with a faculty mentoring program that pairs up students with a teacher adviser for all four years to meet four times a week in homeroom and conference with their families twice a year. A diverse student body also includes a fully integrated special education program that pairs up buddies who have lunch every Wednesday.
A few notable triumphs in the past year:
?Student newspaper The Howler took first place in the Orange County Journalism Education Association Write-Offs in March, beating out Irvine High School's El Vaquero, which has won the past two years.
?The Science Olympiad team placed third in the county and is headed to the Southern California contest on Saturday. The boys basketball team, with coach Tim O'Brien back, went undefeated in league again this season.
Northwood is always creating new traditions as a newer school, but one has remained the same ? when the bell rings on the last day of school, graduating seniors blow horns and shoot silly string around the old oak tree in the quad.
Size
Enrollment: 1,953
Student-teacher ratio: 27.7 to 1
Average class size: 28.6
Academics
API: 910
SAT average: 1822 with 73.5 percent of students tested
ACT average: 27
Advanced Placement enrollment: 1,310
AP courses: 13
AP test pass rate: 86.9 percent with 57 percent of AP students tested
Demographics
Asian, 48.6 percent; white, 35.4 percent; Hispanic, 6.8 percent; Filipino, 2.9 percent; African American, 0.7 percent; American Indian, 0.5 percent; Pacific Islander, 0.3 percent; two or more races, 4.7 percent
Graduation
Graduation rate: 97 percent
Graduates eligible to attend UC/CSU: 72 percent
Discipline
Truancy rate: 28.4 percent
Violence/drug expulsions: 1
Violence/drug suspensions: 17
Persistently dangerous expulsions: 0
Total suspensions: 22
Total expulsions: 1
UNIVERSITY HIGH
4771 Campus Drive
949-936-7600
iusd.org/uhs
Overview
An academic powerhouse, University High School is the district's oldest school with a thoroughly ingrained competitive curriculum. Uni ranked No. 6 countywide in this year's Orange County Register rankings, and Newsweek named it the top high school in California in 2011 and No. 8 nationwide. The school set a national record in 2012 with 10 students earning a perfect score on the ACT. And, of course, there are the dozens of National Merit Scholarship finalists each year.
Some of this year's highlights:
?After a five-year winning streak, the math team took second in its division in this year's Math Day at the Beach contest in March. (The school has never placed lower than second since it entered the competition in 2001.)
?The Science Bowl team is headed to nationals in Washington, D.C., later this month after handily running away with the Los Angeles regional title. Uni's symphony orchestra placed second at the National Orchestra Festival in Providence, R.I., last month.
But Uni students aren't just a bunch of brains ? the school boasts a commanding tennis team that has three CIF championship titles under its belt and has ranked No. 1 in Orange County seven years in a row. The boys and girls swim teams consistently dominate the league and are ranked in the top three in the county.
The school is also home to the county's Deaf and Hard of Hearing Program, with 81 students who participate in all the school's clubs, classes, sports and Associated Student Body.
Uni does everything bigger. The Junior Classical League, or Latin club, is one of the largest in the nation with more than 200 members and hosts the winter formal each year. Spirit Week preparations start two months ahead. What might be a themed day at another school becomes a full week at Uni, such as Intercultural Week or Charity Week. An enormous spring "clubapalooza" brings clubs to the crossroads of campus to hawk boba, In-N-Out, cheesecake, pizza, lemonade and a variety of baked goods to hundreds of students.
Size
Enrollment: 2,478
Student-teacher ratio: 27.3 to 1
Average class size: 32.7
Academics
API: 909
SAT average: 1884 with 70.5 percent of students tested
ACT average: 27.4
Advanced Placement enrollment: 2,079
AP courses: 19
AP test pass rate: 90.8 percent with 70 percent of AP students tested
Demographics
Asian, 48.2; white, 38.2 percent; Hispanic, 6.6 percent; Filipino, 2.3 percent; African American, 1.9 percent; American Indian, 0.4 percent; Pacific Islander, 0.2 percent; two or more races, 1.9 percent
Graduation
Graduation rate: 98 percent
Graduates eligible to attend UC/CSU: 74 percent
Post-grad plans: 95 percent of graduates enter post-secondary educational programs, 56 percent to four-year college or university
Discipline
Truancy rate: 34.6 percent
Violence/drug expulsions: 5
Violence/drug suspensions: 33
Persistently dangerous expulsions: 0
Total suspensions: 83
Total expulsions: 5
WOODBRIDGE HIGH
2 Meadowbrook
949-936-7800
woodbridgehigh.org
Overview
The pressure's on to get kids out of the classroom and engaged in activities at Woodbridge High School, which was ranked No. 7 in the county in this year's high school rankings by the Orange County Register.
It's a strategy that's working for the school, which stars a nationally recognized marching band that performed at the White House in 2010, and a percussion ensemble that rocked the 2012 World Championships with a score of 99.6 out of 100 in the concert division. But academics are far from overlooked at Woodbridge, whose Academic Decathlon team regularly makes it to the state finals and whose math team took second in its division in this year's Math Day at the Beach contest in March.
Last year, the Science Bowl team competed in nationals in Washington, D.C., after taking first at the regional contest; the Percussion Ensemble ranked No. 1 in the nation; and 120 members of the Junior Classical League won first at the state convention in Atherton. Woodbridge's league is well known on the national stage and has hosted the Southern California Regional Amici Madness and the State Latin Convention.
On the court, the girls basketball team captured the league title this year and was ranked No. 6 countywide. A new aquatics center grants the water polo and swim teams access to a 50-meter pool to call their own after years of traveling to Irvine High to practice.
Size
Enrollment: 2,299
Student-teacher ratio: 28.1 to 1
Average class size: 32.7
Academics
API: 881
SAT average: 1717 with 66.2 percent of students tested
ACT average: 25.4 (in 2011)
Advanced Placement enrollment: 1,322
AP courses: 13
AP test pass rate: 83.2 percent with 39 percent of AP students tested
Demographics
White, 43.7 percent; Asian, 32.8; Hispanic, 12.9 percent; Filipino, 2.5 percent; African American, 2.5 percent; Pacific Islander, 0.5 percent; American Indian, 0.4 percent; two or more races, 4.4 percent
Graduation
Graduation rate: 98 percent
Graduates eligible to attend UC/CSU: 66 percent
Discipline
Truancy rate: 37.8 percent
Violence/drug expulsions: 8
Violence/drug suspensions: 71
Persistently dangerous expulsions: 1
Total suspensions: 107
Total expulsions: 9
Contact the writer: 714-796-7944 or ljow@ocregister.com
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