Yosemite High School is located in the Sierra Nevada foothills in the rural community of Oakhurst, 12 miles from the south ent

YOSEMITE HIGH SCHOOL PROFILE

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 our 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.

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.

YHS support services aid our 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.

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.

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. A Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) Focus on Learning self-study was completed last spring with the school receiving a six-year accreditation.

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 our 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.