About La Sierra High School
LSHS is a large, strong comprehensive high school with a commitment to academic achievement. This commitment is demonstrated by:
Highly Professional Faculty: LSHS is a Professional Learning Community School. Every teacher is a member of a small team which studies student achievement data, refines essential learning standards and assessments, and shares most effective teaching strategies. Students start school one hour later each Thursday morning so that teachers are able to meet with one another to do this essential work.
Advanced Placement Program: La Sierra High School offers 18 Advanced Placement courses; all of which have been authorized through the College Board course audit program. In 2010, a total number of 599 exams were administered and the overall pass rate (number of students receiving a score of 3, 4 or 5) was 64%. In order to enroll in an AP course, students must obtain a signature from the teacher of the prerequisite course. In addition, students with a low academic GPA may be limited in the number of Advanced Placement courses they may take in one year. It is recommended that students with a GPA of 3.0 take only one AP course. Students with a 3.5 or higher GPA may enroll in two or more AP courses.
Additional Time and Support for Learning: Students have access to additional time and support for learning during the school day and after school. Over forty teachers work after school Monday through Thursday, providing tutoring in math, English, history, science, and foreign languages. An extended tutorial period at the end of second period enables students to get extra help in classes during the regular school day.
Safe, Clean, Supportive Learning Environment: The LSHS campus is clean and beautiful, having been recognized in the Riverside’s 2009 clean campus competition. A full-time team of twelve campus supervisors maintains proper supervision and support for students. The school is supported by a full-time School Resource Officer through a partnership between our district and the Riverside Police Department.
Academic Decathlon Team places in Top 5: The Academic Decathlon Team has finished in the Top 5 of Riverside County for the past 4 years, with a 2nd place finish in 2008. Team members practice after school during the fall semester with competition taking place in January and February. All interested students are welcome to be part of this amazing academic team.
Best Visual and Performing Arts School in Riverside County: Visual artists at La Sierra routinely post the strongest results of any school in Riverside County at the annual Press Enterprise Art Show. The school’s theater productions are of the highest quality. The school hosts a regional jazz festival every spring, and the marching band finished second in its division in the 2008-2009 state championships.
Health Careers Academy: La Sierra operates the finest health academy anywhere. Academy students take science, history, and math classes together in grades 10 – 12. In their senior year they take a health occupations class and spend two hours each day working in internships at Kaiser Hospital, a founding partner in this academy.
International Business Academy: Students in the business academy take common courses in English, math, and business together. They are mentored by business leaders in the local community. During their senior year academy students create a virtual business and compete on the statewide level.
Career and Technical Education: LSHS provides career and technical education in the areas of business, computer information systems, drafting, food service and the restaurant industry, wood shop, health careers, and retailing and merchandising. Many of these programs are articulated with Riverside Community College so that students entering RCC are able to skip introductory courses since they have already completed them here at LSHS!
Strong Comprehensive Athletic Program: While other schools are reducing sports, LSHS is maintaining all sports and is increasing the number of students in athletics..Our district recognizes the value of athletics, and has supporting this program by renovating all athletic fields on our campus.
Varied Activities Program: The ASB develops a full year of activities, maintaining the school’s strong traditions. Students organize over thirty clubs, each supervised by dedicated faculty.
Superb Publications: The school’s student newspaper, The Eagle’s Quill, was recognized in 2008 by the Riverside City Council as the finest student newspaper in the city. The school’s full-color yearbook, The Sunrise, is a strong contender at yearbook competitions. Advanced students in the schools theatre program annually produce outstanding videos which chronicle the school’s events for the year.
