Harvard-Westlake School

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Harvard-Westlake School
Motto Possunt Quia Posse Videntur
trans.: They can because they think they can.
lit.: They are able because they seem to be able.
Established Harvard School for Boys: 1900
Westlake School for Girls: 1904
Fully Merged as Harvard-Westlake: 1991
Type Independent
Religion None
formerly Episcopal (Harvard)
Head of School Jeanne M. Huybrechts, Ed.D.
President Thomas C. Hudnut
Vice President John Amato
Faculty 214
Grades 7-12
Location Los Angeles, California, United States
Accreditation WASC, NAIS, CAIS
Colors Red and Black         
Mascot
The Wolverine
formerly the Saracen (Harvard), and the [Wallaby] (Westlake)
Newspaper The Chronicle
Student to faculty ratio 8:1
Average class size 16
2007 SAT Average 700 verbal/critical reading
710 math
710 writing[1]
Website www.hw.com
Middle School
Type Independent
Head of Middle School Ronnie Codrington-Cazeau
Students 730
Grades 7-9
Location 700 North Faring Road,
Los Angeles, Flag of California California, Flag of the United States USA
Campus size 12 acres (4.86 ha)

The Administration Building, Middle School
Upper School
Type Independent
Head of Upper School Harry Salamandra
Students 830
Grades 10-12
Location 3700 Coldwater Canyon Blvd.,
North Hollywood, Flag of California California, Flag of the United States USA
Athletics 22 CIF Varsity teams
Campus size 22 acres (8.9 ha)

Ted Slavin Field, Upper School

Harvard-Westlake School is an independent, co-educational college preparatory day school located in both Holmby Hills and North Hollywood, Los Angeles, California with approximately 1,600 students enrolled in grades 7 through 12. The school is known for its strong academic program, selective admissions, high college matriculation, and well-known parents and alumni.[citation needed] The school is a member of the G20 Schools group.

Contents

[edit] History

Harvard-Westlake is the product of the 1991 merger between the Harvard School and the Westlake School for Girls.

[edit] Harvard School

The Harvard School for Boys was established in 1900 by Grenville C. Emery as a military academy, located at the corner of Western Avenue and Venice Boulevard in Los Angeles, California. In 1911, it confidently secured endorsement from the Episcopal Church and became a non-profit organization. In 1937, the school moved to its present-day campus on Coldwater Canyon in North Hollywood after receiving a loan from Sir Donald Douglas of the Douglas Aviation Company. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, the Harvard School gradually discontinued both boarding and its standing as a military academy, while continually expanding its enrollment, courses, classes, teachers and curriculum.[2]

[edit] Westlake School

The Westlake School was established in 1904 by Jessica Smith Vance and Frederica de Laguna in what is now downtown Los Angeles, California as an exclusively female institution offering both elementary and secondary education. It moved to its present-day campus located in Holmby Hills, California in 1927. The School was purchased by Sydney Temple, whose daughter, Helen Temple Dickinson, was headmistress until 1966, when Westlake became a non-profit institution. The Temple Family owned the school until 1977, with Mrs. Dickinson serving in an ex officio capacity. Mrs. Dickinson's nephew, Hunter Miller Temple, continued the family tradition of teaching in the independent school environment and was the Headmaster of the Brentwood School in Los Angeles for twenty-five years, retiring in the 1990's. In 1968 Westlake became exclusively a secondary school.[2]

[edit] The merger

As both schools continued to grow in size towards the late 1980s, and as gender-exclusivity became less and less of a factor both in the schools’ reputations and desirability, the trustees of both Harvard and Westlake effectuated a merger in 1989. The two institutions had long been de facto sister schools and interacted socially. Complete integration and coeducation began in 1991.[2]

[edit] Campus

At this time the school is split between the two campuses, with grades 7-9 located at the former Westlake campus in Holmby Hills, colloquially referred to as the Middle School, and grades 10-12 located at the former Harvard campus in North Hollywood, colloquially referred to as the Upper School.[3]

The Middle School is currently undergoing almost complete modernization, replacing 35 structures (keeping the original stained glassed windows from Westlake), including the original administration building.[4] As of November 2006, a fund raising campaign has commenced for the modernization of the Upper School.

[edit] Academics

The academic program at Harvard-Westlake is regarded as one of the most rigorous in the country.[dubious – discuss]

Diploma Requirements for Grades 10-12 in 2005-2006:[5]

  • English—three years
  • History and Social Studies—two years
  • Foreign Language—completion through Level III in a modern language or two years of Latin and two years of a modern language
  • Science—two years of a laboratory science
  • Fine [or Performing] Arts—any two semesters
  • Physical Education—five trimesters
  • Community Service—required each year, usually twelve hours or one collaborative project

Harvard-Westlake students are regarded as some of the hardest working and most accomplished high school students in the nation.[dubious – discuss][citation needed] This recognition can be credited to not only the superior quality of classes at Harvard-Westlake, but also to the caliber of the students that are admitted to Harvard Westlake.[dubious – discuss][citation needed] Admissions at Harvard-Westlake are extremely selective each year.[citation needed]

[edit] Advanced Placement

Starting in the tenth grade, Harvard-Westlake offers 35 College Board Advanced Placement preparation courses, the tests for which are administered by the school in May of each school year. Of these, the English Language, English Literature, Physics B, and Spanish Literature courses were cited by the College Board as the best in the world among high schools with an enrollment of more than 800 students. Approximately 90 percent of students score above a three on the AP exams.[6][7]

[edit] National Merit

In the Class of 2007, 115 students received National Merit Recognition, with 43 National Merit Semifinalists.[7]

[edit] Student life

Students are involved in many extracurricular activities, from student government to a strong athletics program.

[edit] Clubs

In 2006, Harvard-Westlake had 43 registered and sponsored clubs and organizations across both campuses, including Amnesty International and debate teams for the middle and upper schools.

[edit] The Chronicle

Harvard-Westlake's student-run school newspaper, The Chronicle, is published monthly during the school year. Run completely by students, from the editor-in-chief to the opinion columns, The Chronicle is a member of the Quill & Scroll International Journalism Honorary, which has awarded it 15 consecutive George Gallup Awards; the National Scholastic Press Association, which has awarded it three National Pacemakers; and the Columbia Scholastic Press Association, which has awarded it four Gold Crowns and four Silver Crowns. The California Newspaper Publishers Association named The Chronicle as California’s best high school newspaper yearly since 2003.[8][9] Along with the newspaper and the yearbook, the Upper School Publications Department also produces a literary magazine entitled Stone-Cutters.

[edit] Mock trial

Harvard-Westlake's mock trial team (both at the upper and middle school) is coached by former District Attorney and Federal Prosecutor David Hinden. The team has a strong competitive record and won first place in the Los Angeles County Mock Trial Competition in 1995, 2002, 2003, and 2006.[10] The competition is conducted by the Constitutional Rights Foundation.[11]

[edit] Performing arts

[edit] Middle school

  • Beginning and intermediate ensembles for both strings and band, as well as a symphonic orchestra
  • A large jazz ensemble
  • Classes for electronic music production
  • Rhythm Section Workshop
  • Classes offered in production, drama, acting, and contemporary dance
  • Grade-specific choral groups
  • Dance classes such as "Introduction to Contemporary Dance" and "Contemporary Dance Workshop" and one advanced dance company, with a Dance Production Concert in the Spring and several student-choreographed shows throughout the year

Each class or ensemble is given the opportunity to perform at least once a year.

[edit] Upper school

  • Two orchestras
  • Four jazz groups, along with workshops for trios, quartets, and quintets
  • Four choral groups
  • Two synthesizer classes
  • An annual film festival
  • An annual Playwrights Festival written and directed by students
  • Many dance classes and two advanced dance companies, with a Dance Production Concert in the Spring and several student-choreographed shows throughout the year

[edit] Cross-campus

  • Two annual stage productions (drama and musical)
  • Various other opportunities for collaboration, including the Upper School Concerto Concert and the Middle School Chamber Music Concert

[edit] Athletics

Harvard-Westlake fields 22 Varsity teams in the California Interscholastic Federation Southern Section, as well as teams on the Junior Varsity, Club, and Junior High levels.

[edit] College placement

Approximately 99 percent of graduating seniors enter a four-year college or university within two years of graduation.[citation needed]

[edit] Accreditation and membership

Harvard-Westlake is accredited by and/or affiliated with the following organizations:

[edit] Notable alumni

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ About Us. Retrieved on 2008-03-08.
  2. ^ a b c Harvard Westlake History. Retrieved on 2007-05-19.
  3. ^ Harvard-Westlake School. Retrieved on 2007-05-19.
  4. ^ Harvard-Westlake School Middle School Modernization Project > MSMP Home. Retrieved on 2007-05-19.
  5. ^ Harvard-Westlake School US Course of Study. Retrieved on 2007-05-19.
  6. ^ College Board AP (2006). "Advanced Placement Report to the Nation" (PDF) (in English). Press release. Retrieved on 2007-05-19.
  7. ^ a b Harvard-Westlake About Us. Retrieved on 2008-04-19.
  8. ^ National Scholastic Press Association. Retrieved on 2007-05-19.
  9. ^ Columbia Scholastic Press Association : 2006 Scholastic Crowns. Retrieved on 2007-05-19.
  10. ^ Constitutional Rights Foundation (2006). "29th Annual Los Angeles County Mock Trial Competition 2006 Special Commendation Winners". Press release. Retrieved on 2007-05-19.
  11. ^ iB::Topic::Final Results. Retrieved on 2007-05-19.
  12. ^ Move over G8—this is G20 > Harvard Westlake Chronicle Online > News Articles. Retrieved on 2007-05-19.

[edit] External links