La Cañada High School

Infobox_School2 | name = La Cañada High School


established = 1963
type = Public
head_name = Principal
head = Dr. Damon Dragos
students = approx. 1,800
mascot = The Spartan
free_label = Colors
free = Maroon and Gold
city = La Cañada Flintridge
state = California
country = United States
website = [http://www.lcusd.net/lchs/ www.lcusd.net/lchs]

La Cañada High School is a four year high school located in La Cañada Flintridge, California. It sits at the base of the San Gabriel Mountains, below the Angeles National Forest, in the City of La Cañada Flintridge. The school is adjacent to the 210 Freeway north of Pasadena's Rose Bowl and south NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Its address and email address are: 4463 Oak Grove Drive, La Cañada Flintridge, CA 91011, and [e-mail]. They are ranked as 67th best high school in the United StatesFact|date=June 2008.

Mission statement

"It is the mission of La Cañada High School, through the coordinated efforts of its faculty, staff, and community, to provide programs so that, upon graduation, all personnel will be inspired and able to use their developed skills to become leaders in service to society."

Alma Mater

La Cañada, proud and grand
Alma mater shall forever stand!
Our crowning glory, strong and bold
We will honor thee, Red and Gold.
Through the years we'll sing thy name
With faith and loyalty!
Praise to our Alma Mater;
Hail, All Hail!

Academics

LCHS offers a full range of academic courses including many AP and Honors courses. These include:
*Spanish, French, German, Korean, American Sign Language, and Armenian language classes.
*Armenian and American Sign Language are offered after school from Glendale Community College. A student can satisfy 4 years of language in 2 years. In the process they will earn 80 credits and 20 college units.
*Band, Orchestra, and Choir programs for all levels of learning
*Theatre, Dance, Art, and Creative Writing classes of all kinds
*Science courses in Life Science, Earth Science, Sports Medicine, Geology, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and Environmental Science
*Levels of Mathematics up to Calculus AB/BC
*Several college classes from Glendale community college and Pasadena City College. Some are English, Armenian 101, Armenian 102, Armenian 115, Speech, American Sign Language, Humanities, and others.
*Woodshop

In addition, La Canada High School has had the second highest Academic Performance Index score among all comprehensive public high schools in Southern California, a reflection of the academic excellence that it embodies.

Athletics

La Canada High School competes interscholastically as a member of the Rio Hondo League in Boy's and Girl's Soccer, Volleyball, Water Polo, Tennis, Basketball, Track and Field, Cross Country, Golf, and Swimming, as well as Baseball, Softball, and Boy's Football and Wrestling. In addition, LCHS also has a club Hockey and equestrian team.

The Spartans have continued, over the last few years, to be the dominant force in Rio Hondo League, capturing the 2005-2006 league championships in Boys' Water Polo, Swimming, Boys' Basketball, Cross Country, Baseball. In addition, the Swimming and Boys' Waterpolo teams both won the CIF Southern Section championships, however the swimming championship was revoked due to minor violations of CIF policies. The Spartans' equestrian team won the Interscholastic Equestrian League Championship. The Girl's Varsity Soccer team captured the 2006/2007 Rio Hondo league title. Boys' Wrestling, coached by Gavin Williams, has captured its second Academic CIF Championship while remaining competitive in wrestling dual matches. In 2007, La Canada High earned a two-seed in the CIF Boy's Basketball Division III State Tournament, advancing to the regional finals before losing to Artesia High School, whose team was ranked number one in the nation. The 2007 Spartan football team was led by Lavelle Peterson, who posted impressive numbers throughout the regular season and the tournament. The basketball team made history for the Spartans, by posting a record of 30-4, which is the most games the team has ever come out victorious in a single season.

Extracurricular activities

La Canada High School features numerous clubs and organizations which are run by the very involved and enthusiastic student body.

The various clubs include:
* Recognize Armenian Genocide Club
* Cricket Club
* Guitar Hero Club
* Beach Presevation Club
* Current Events Club
* Technology Club
* The Student Union
* Engineering Club
* Key Club
* S.A.D.D. - Students Against Drunk Driving
* JSA - Junior Statesmen of America
* Art Club
* Ceramics Club
* Chess Club
* GSA - Gay Straight Alliance
* Spanish Club
* French Club
* Japanese Club
* Science Club
* Cultural Awareness Club
* Ultimate Frisbee Club
* Bible Club
* Literary Arts Club
* Math Club
* [http://www.lcusd.net/lchs/mewoldsen/GreenClub.htm Green Club]
* 21st Century Institutes
* Amnesty International
* Recreational Club
* ComedySportz Team
* Bridge (Peer Counciling)
* German Club
* CSF - California Scholarship Federation
* NHS - National Honor Society
* Yo-Yo Club
* Pava Jr. Club
* Amtgard Club
* Atheists and Agnostics Club
* Harry Potter Club
* Interact Club
* Aviation Club
* Mock Trial Team
* Asian Culture Club (formerly Mandarin Club)
* The Film Club
* The Musician's Union
* [http://www.theiel.org The Interscholastic Equestrian League]
* Aviation Club

All of the clubs on campus are governed by the Associated Student Body, or "ASB" as it is known. This student government group is composed of elected officers and representatives from grades 9 through 12. In addition to governing clubs, ASB plans school dances, pep rallies, games and music in the quad, manages the student store, and plans other events such as blood drives, senior activities, etc. The advisor for ASB is Mr. Carl Herman, a government and economics teacher. The former ASB advisor was Ms. Tamar Hill.

Library: the IRC

LCHS's Information Resource Center (IRC) opened in February 2002 and is a multi-use facility with up-to-date technology and information available to all the school's students. The IRC's mission is "to prepare students for life-long learning, informed decision-making, a love of reading and the use of information technologies." The library is available for public use Monday through Friday from 3:30-8:00 PM, except during school holidays. Shown to the right is a photo of the interior of the IRC. The desks in the foreground are equipped with internet-connected computers, the monitors of which can be seen through the desks' clear tops.

Goals of LCHS

#LCHS graduates will have the ability to communicate effectively through:
#* Speaking and writing to and for diverse audiences.
#* Using correct grammar (conventions)
#* Other forms of communicating, depending upon purpose, including cultural and social appropriateness in varying ways
#LCHS graduates will become life-long learners who can explore and develop knowledge and skills that lead to a fulfilling life.
#* Developing a sense of one's gifts, talents, and potential
#* Developing self-confidence and self-esteem
#* Knowing the value of life-long learning
#* Learning to function independently and responsibly
#* Balancing home, career, and leisure time
#* Setting personal and professional goals
#* Establishing habits of mental, physical, and social well-being through physical fitness, nutrition, and hygiene
#LCHS graduates will be able to use technology as a tool to facilitate and enhance learning, to solve problems, to perform life skills, and to adapt to a constantly changing world through:
#* Accessing and utilizing technology
#* Accessing and retrieving information
#* Analyzing, evaluating, and applying information
#* Applying technology to "real world" problems
#* Creating, maintaining, and/or presenting data
#* Be able to evaluate the uses of technology
#LCHS graduates will become productive, responsible citizens as shown by interacting with their school, community, nation, and world through:
#* Awareness and comprehension of current events
#* Acceptable ethical and behavioral standards
#* Accountability for personal actions
#* Awareness and comprehension of their role as citizens in school, community, nation and world
#* Civic and personal responsibility
#* Respect for the tolerance of cultural, sexual, physical, and religious diversity
#* Adaptability, Compassion, Courage
#* Deliberateness, Honesty, Initiative
#* Loyalty, Optimism, Perseverance, Trustworthiness
#LCHS graduates will have the ability to think critically through:
#* Formulating ideas
#* Creativity
#* Logic and reasoning skills
#* Strategizing
#* Problem solving
#* Decision making
#* Conflict-resolution...

tatistics & Trivia

*Student body is primarily made up of Caucasian and Asian students.
*98% of each graduating class goes on to college.
*LCHS' cross-town rival schools are Crescenta Valley High School in La Crescenta, South Pasadena High School in South Pasadena and San Marino High School in San Marino.
*Junior high yearbook is called Alpha; high school yearbook is called Omega.
*Junior high newspaper is called The Spartan Star [https://www.lcusd.net/lchs/adiconti/7_8_newspaper.htm] ; high school newspaper is called [http://www.lcusd.net/lchs/thespartan/index.htm The Spartan] but was formerly known as The Iliad.
*There are three public elementary schools that feed into LCHS: [http://www.lcusd.net/lce/ LCE] (La Cañada Elementary), [http://www.lcusd.net/pcr/ PCR] (Palm Crest Elementary), and [http://www.lcusd.net/pcy/ PCY] (Paradise Canyon Elementary).
*La Canada High School is the first Rio Hondo League school with FieldTurf
*La Canada High School is composed of two schools on campus. One is the high school(9-12) and the other the junior high school(7-8). Although the two schools are officially separate, they share many of the same teachers, facilities and organizations.
*The school's basketball team was shown in an episode of The White Shadow. The team is seen in the first season episode "Bonus Baby."

Notable alumni

*Trace Cyrus (did not graduate), member of the band Metro Station and half brother of teen pop sensation, Miley Cyrus.
* Matt Whisenant (1989), former Major League Baseball pitcher.
* Peter Wells (1992), competed in sailing (mistral class) at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece.
* Jason Inouye (1992), cinematographer.
* Brian Hull (1992), golfer.
* Sam Paneno (1997), co-winner of the inaugural NCAA Inspiration Award.
* Josh Henderson (1996), led the Spartans to 2 national championships in soccer and played for the U-21 national team, in which he was the leading scorer in the world.
* Mark Van Dellen (2004), radio personality and co-founder of the "Green Lawn Award"
* Doug Davidson (1973), actor (The Young and the Restless)
*Chad States (1972), actor
* Richard Schneider (2004), actor (Salute Your Shorts)
*Chris Holms (1974), lead guitarist W.A.S.P.
* Phil Joanou (born November 20, 1961 in La Cañada Flintridge, California), is an American film director. He is also well known for his work with Irish rock band U2, having directed their rockumentary/live tape Rattle and Hum, one of three videos filmed for One, and the video for All Because of You. Married to Ford Model Breann Nelson.
* Michael Cunningham (1970), born November 6, 1952, an award-winning American writer, best known for his 1998 novel "The Hours", which won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and the PEN/Faulkner Award in 1999.
* Sonny Moore, ex-band member of From First To Last

External links

* [http://www.lcusd.net/lchs/ La Cañada High School main page] provided by the [http://www.lcusd.net/ La Cañada Unified School District]
* [http://www.lcusd.net/lchs/lchs78/ La Cañada High School 7/8]
* [http://www.lcusd.net/lchsstaff/ LCHS Staff website]
* [http://www.lcusd.net/lchs/library/ LCHS's Information Resource Center]
*La Cañada's public elementary schools: [http://www.lcusd.net/lce/ LCE] , [http://www.lcusd.net/pcr/ PCR] , and [http://www.lcusd.net/pcy/ PCY]
* [http://www.lcusd.net/lchs/thespartan/index.htm The Spartan Online]
*High school and junior high PTA websites: [http://www.lchs912.org/ LCHS 9-12] and [http://www.lchs78.org/ LCHS 7-8]
* [http://www.wmadigital.com/alumni/ LCHS Alumni Association]
*LCHS Official Band and Colorguard Website [http://www.lchsbando.com]