Yosemite High School
Encyclopedia
Yosemite High School is a secondary school
in the Yosemite Unified School District in Oakhurst, California
. YHS occupies 100 acre (0.404686 km²) of rolling, wooded hills and is located within the foothills of California's Sierra Nevada mountains. Yosemite High School is a California Distinguished School.
In addition to a rigorous academic program, YHS also provides a comprehensive vocational program, which showcases cutting edge technology training in computer networking and multi-media production. Through a Digital High School Grant and an EAST (Environmental and Spatial Technology) Grant, the school provides access to current technology for all students. Over $500,000 in hardware and software (including engineering, CAD, animation, and global positioning software) will be available to students over the next 3 years. The ROP program encompasses Automotive Technology, Arc/Oxy Welding, Architectural Drafting, Woodworking, Criminal Justice, EMT, Careers in Education, Cross Age Physical Education Tutoring, Fire Science, and Agriculture. YHS’s award winning Fine Arts Program includes a broad range of offerings.
(WASC) Focus on Learning self-study was completed last spring with the school receiving a six-year accreditation.
The shared vision of the school community is to prepare our students to confidently face the challenges in their future by learning to make the changes in themselves that complex modern existence requires.
Current enrollment is approximately 1200 students.
(API) score was over 9000, which places it in the upper tier of California high schools. At least one alumnus has been awarded the Rhodes Scholarship
.
YHS teams traditionally excel in the Academic Decathlon (AD) competition, having won sixteen consecutive Madera County titles as of 2009, in addition to having taken first place twice in 2000 and 2001 and second place at the state level multiple times, most recently in 2006 and 2007.
.
(CIF). The most noteworthy recent success belongs to the girls basketball
team, which won its fourth consecutive section title in March 2007. Other consistently successful programs include football
, girls volleyball
, and cross country
. The most well-known YHS athletic alumnus is probably Major League Baseball
pitcher Ted Lilly
, currently starting for the Los Angeles Dodgers
.
scheduling to counterproductive class organization. Students (referred to as “learners”) chose their own classes, handled their own attendance, and gave themselves their grades, much to the chagrin of parents, who “…were worried that the students {were} running the school and that there {was} a lack of supervised instruction…”
Teachers (referred to as “learning facilitators”) were also given free-rein with the classes they taught, resulting in such classes as skateboarding
and rock climbing
. They taught in a single large building with simultaneous classes operating without walls, leading to a good deal of confusion and distraction. Some time into the first year, 6 feet (1.8 m) tall partitions were set up, but they did little to reduce the strength of the din.
In recent years, YHS has returned to more traditional academic practices, including fixed schedules, standard classrooms, state-mandated coursework and grading criteria, and referring to "teachers" and "students."
The school began relatively under funded; “learning facilitators” were paid a $4–6,000 lower salary than the state average for that time. By the turn of the 21st century, however, the budget had expanded and the campus had become a showpiece.
Secondary school
Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
in the Yosemite Unified School District in Oakhurst, California
Oakhurst, California
Oakhurst is a census-designated place in Madera County, California, south of the entrance to Yosemite National Park, in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountain range. Oakhurst is located on the Fresno River south-southwest of Yosemite Forks, at an elevation of 2274 feet...
. YHS occupies 100 acre (0.404686 km²) of rolling, wooded hills and is located within the foothills of California's Sierra Nevada mountains. Yosemite High School is a California Distinguished School.
Campus
Yosemite High School is located in the Sierra Nevada foothills in the rural community of Oakhurst, 12 miles from the south entrance to Yosemite National Park in Central California. The campus is on a 100-acre site graced with pines, oaks, and seasonal streams with views of the High Sierra. The appearance of the 25-year-old campus is being transformed by a construction project resulting from the passage of an $11.76 million bond measure in 1998. The project includes a comprehensive library media center, state-of-the-art computer labs, science labs, classrooms, cafeteria/multi-purpose building, swimming pool, and a $6.5 million performing arts center. Amid the clamor of construction, the student body of 1,100 and staff of 95 continue to achieve impressive educational and extra-curricular successes, and to work toward meeting the new challenges of standards-based educational programs.Academics
The school has continually raised expectations for all students. An academic focal point is the International Baccalaureate (IB) program that currently involves over 40% of our students. IB is a worldwide program, which provides a rigorous, standards-based curriculum. YHS is one of only 47 IB schools in California. Most universities give students who pass the externally moderated exams college credit, and full IB diploma graduates are often granted sophomore status upon university admission. Last year’s 47-point improvement on the Academic Performance Index (API) can be attributed in part to the challenging IB/AP curriculum, preparation of students for the Golden State Exam (GSE), and an emphasis on remediating the skills of low-performing students. YHS is increasing its AP (Advanced Placement) offerings through a $75,000 Advanced Placement Grant.In addition to a rigorous academic program, YHS also provides a comprehensive vocational program, which showcases cutting edge technology training in computer networking and multi-media production. Through a Digital High School Grant and an EAST (Environmental and Spatial Technology) Grant, the school provides access to current technology for all students. Over $500,000 in hardware and software (including engineering, CAD, animation, and global positioning software) will be available to students over the next 3 years. The ROP program encompasses Automotive Technology, Arc/Oxy Welding, Architectural Drafting, Woodworking, Criminal Justice, EMT, Careers in Education, Cross Age Physical Education Tutoring, Fire Science, and Agriculture. YHS’s award winning Fine Arts Program includes a broad range of offerings.
Academic Support
YHS support services aid its students with learning challenges. Students help students through Peer Tutoring and Peer Mediation. Title I programs, Math and Language Labs provide students with assistance in passing proficiency exams and provide individual attention.Student Demographics
The ethnic breakdown of the student population at YHS is: White, 84.3%; Hispanic, 8.2%; Native American, 6.2%; Asian, 0.5%; African American, 0.5% and Pacific Islander, 0.1%. During the 1999-2000 school year there was one Limited English Proficient student and four Fluent English Proficient in Spanish, and four FEP in Vietnamese and two FEP in Hmong. Approximately ten percent of the students receive free and reduced meals and five percent of the students are from families receiving AFDC.Yosemite High Graduates
A survey of 2000 graduates showed that 50% of YHS students completed courses to qualify for the University of California or California State University systems, 50% planned to attend a two-year college, 27% planned to attend a four-year college, 3% were going into a vocational program, 17% planned to enter the work force, and 3% were joining the military. In the third statewide administration of the STAR test in 2000, YHS students earned an excellent API rating of 742, ranking 9 on a scale of 10 for the State. 2000 SAT and ACT scores for YHS students were slightly higher than the state and national averages.Accreditation
A Western Association of Schools and CollegesWestern Association of Schools and Colleges
The Western Association of Schools and Colleges is one of six official academic bodies responsible for the accreditation of public and private universities, colleges, secondary and elementary schools in the United States and foreign institutions of American origin. The Western Association of...
(WASC) Focus on Learning self-study was completed last spring with the school receiving a six-year accreditation.
Vocational Preparation
Retail trade, services, and government are the major employers in Eastern Madera County. The area has a high level of tourism with various government agencies such as the United States Forest Service, National Park Service, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, public schools, and various county offices.The shared vision of the school community is to prepare our students to confidently face the challenges in their future by learning to make the changes in themselves that complex modern existence requires.
Feeder Schools
Yosemite has nine major feeder schools, of which eight are elementary schools and one is a middle school:- Bass Lake Elementary
- Coarsegold Elementary
- North Fork Elementary
- Raymond-Knowles Elementary
- Rivergold Elementary
- Spring Valley Elementary
- Wasuma Elementary
- Wawona Elementary
- Oak Creek Intermediate
Current enrollment is approximately 1200 students.
Test Scores and Honors
YHS was named a California Distinguished School in 2001 and 2005. Its 2005 Academic Performance IndexAcademic Performance Index
The Academic Performance Index is a measurement of academic performance and progress of individual schools in California, United States. It is one of the main components of the Public Schools Accountability Act passed by the California legislature in 1999...
(API) score was over 9000, which places it in the upper tier of California high schools. At least one alumnus has been awarded the Rhodes Scholarship
Rhodes Scholarship
The Rhodes Scholarship, named after Cecil Rhodes, is an international postgraduate award for study at the University of Oxford. It was the first large-scale programme of international scholarships, and is widely considered the "world's most prestigious scholarship" by many public sources such as...
.
YHS teams traditionally excel in the Academic Decathlon (AD) competition, having won sixteen consecutive Madera County titles as of 2009, in addition to having taken first place twice in 2000 and 2001 and second place at the state level multiple times, most recently in 2006 and 2007.
Music Department
Yosemite High School's Music Department consists of two choirs, two bands and two percussion classes. During football and basketball season the Advanced Percussion, Concert Band, and Wind Ensemble combine to form a pep band. In the spring the bands perform at CMEA (California Music Educators Association) Festivals and the Heritage Festivals in Anaheim, CaliforniaAnaheim, California
Anaheim is a city in Orange County, California. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was about 365,463, making it the most populated city in Orange County, the 10th most-populated city in California, and ranked 54th in the United States...
.
Athletics
Yosemite fields interscholastic teams in seventeen sports. It is a member of the North Sequoia League in the Central Section of the California Interscholastic FederationCalifornia Interscholastic Federation
The California Interscholastic Federation is the governing body for high school sports in the state of California. It mirrors similar governing bodies in other states; however, it differs from some of the others in that it covers most high schools in the state of California, both public and...
(CIF). The most noteworthy recent success belongs to the girls basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
team, which won its fourth consecutive section title in March 2007. Other consistently successful programs include football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
, girls volleyball
Volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
, and cross country
Cross country running
Cross country running is a sport in which people run a race on open-air courses over natural terrain. The course, typically long, may include surfaces of grass and earth, pass through woodlands and open country, and include hills, flat ground and sometimes gravel road...
. The most well-known YHS athletic alumnus is probably Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
pitcher Ted Lilly
Ted Lilly
Theodore Roosevelt "Ted" Lilly III , is a Major League Baseball starting pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers. He bats and throws left-handed...
, currently starting for the Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
.
History
Opened September 9, 1976 to relieve district travel times (often in excess of 4 hours), YHS became a site of constant controversy. The matter of greatest contention was its unorthodox education methods, ranging from laissez-faireLaissez-faire
In economics, laissez-faire describes an environment in which transactions between private parties are free from state intervention, including restrictive regulations, taxes, tariffs and enforced monopolies....
scheduling to counterproductive class organization. Students (referred to as “learners”) chose their own classes, handled their own attendance, and gave themselves their grades, much to the chagrin of parents, who “…were worried that the students {were} running the school and that there {was} a lack of supervised instruction…”
Teachers (referred to as “learning facilitators”) were also given free-rein with the classes they taught, resulting in such classes as skateboarding
Skateboarding
Skateboarding is an action sport which involves riding and performing tricks using a skateboard.Skateboarding can be a recreational activity, an art form, a job, or a method of transportation. Skateboarding has been shaped and influenced by many skateboarders throughout the years. A 2002 report...
and rock climbing
Rock climbing
Rock climbing also lightly called 'The Gravity Game', is a sport in which participants climb up, down or across natural rock formations or artificial rock walls. The goal is to reach the summit of a formation or the endpoint of a pre-defined route without falling...
. They taught in a single large building with simultaneous classes operating without walls, leading to a good deal of confusion and distraction. Some time into the first year, 6 feet (1.8 m) tall partitions were set up, but they did little to reduce the strength of the din.
In recent years, YHS has returned to more traditional academic practices, including fixed schedules, standard classrooms, state-mandated coursework and grading criteria, and referring to "teachers" and "students."
The school began relatively under funded; “learning facilitators” were paid a $4–6,000 lower salary than the state average for that time. By the turn of the 21st century, however, the budget had expanded and the campus had become a showpiece.
Famous alumni
- Ted LillyTed LillyTheodore Roosevelt "Ted" Lilly III , is a Major League Baseball starting pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers. He bats and throws left-handed...
(Major League BaseballMajor League BaseballMajor League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
pitcher) - Guy Major ([Cartoonist])
- Justin "JK" Kahler ([Winemaker])
- Nate Manor (MusicianMusicianA musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
)