The Westside is blessed with some of California’s best public and private schools. Beverly Hills High School consistently ranks among the best in California, and many public schools, especially in the K-6 grades, rank among the top in Southern California. There are a plethora of award-winning, nationally recognized private schools. Here are the more prominent private schools available to Westside families with children K-12:
Public Schools
Los Angeles Unified School District
The teachers, administrators and staff of the Los Angeles Unified School District (L.A.U.S.D.) believe in the equal worth and dignity of all students and are committed to educate all students to their maximum potential. www.lausd.net
Beverly Hills Unified School District
The mission of the Beverly Hills Unified School District, is to ensure that their students are humane, thinking, productive citizens through an educational system characterized by state-of-the-art technology; a dynamic interdisciplinary curriculum; an exemplary instructional and support team; student-centered active learning; respect for diversity; strong parent and community involvement; and a nurturing environment where all share a common purpose and a joy for learning. www.beverlyhills.k12.ca.us/
Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District
The Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District works together in a nurturing environment to help students be visionary, versatile thinkers; resourceful, life-long learners; effective, multi-lingual communicators and global citizens. SMMUSD is a richly varied community that values the contributions of all its members. SMMUSD exists to prepare all students in their pursuit of academic achievement and personal health and to support and encourage them in their development of intellectual, artistic, technological, physical and social expression. www.smmusd.org
Private Schools
Archer School for Girls
The Archer campus is situated on eight acres in the heart of Brentwood, just minutes from the educational resources of the Getty Museum and world-famous UCLA. The main Archer building is the 95,000 sq. ft. historic landmark, built in 1931 by the famed architect William R. Mooser. Archer offers grades 6-12, with full college preparatory and broad selection of activities in performing arts, science, and athletics on a beautiful campus harking back to California in the early twentieth century. www.archer.org
Berkeley Hall School
Founded in 1911, the Berkeley School is a non-church supported or parochial school. Grades Nursery and K-8. The school approach is rooted in their study of Christian Science, although it is not taught in the classroom – but spiritual principles of love, respect, and self-esteem “underlie all aspects of school life.” Berkeley Hall serves a diverse student body, and it seeks applicants with records of strong academic ability and achievement. Located on a beautiful campus on Mulholland Drive, the school has a very active athletic program and is a member of the San Fernando Private School League. www.berkeleyhall.org
Brentwood School
Located in Brentwood, The Brentwood School operates two coeducational campuses, located four blocks apart – K-6 and 7-12, comprised of the Middle and Upper schools. There are approximately 1,000 students, with 88 full-time teachers and nine part-time teachers. Class sizes average 21-22 in 1-6; 18 in grades 7-12. Brentwood has a very active scholastic and student activities calendar on campus and has 58 athletic teams in 7-12 grades, and 21 teams in K-6. More than $2 million was awarded in financial aid for the 2003-2004 school year. www.bwscampus.com
Crossroads Schools
Crossroads was founded in 1971 by a group of parents and educators who were interested in providing a coeducational college preparatory education combined with a comprehensive fine and performing arts program, community service, athletic challenge, and environmental education. Operates two campuses – Crossroads Elementary (K-5); and the Crossroads Middle School (6-8) and Upper School (9-12). The school has an operating budget of over $23 million and provides $2.6 million in financial aid to applicant families. www.xrds.org
Curtis School
Founded in the 1920s, the Curtis School is located on 27-acre campus off of Mulholland Drive at the summit of Santa Monica Mountains. After an $8.5 million capital campaign, the school completed state-of-the-art classrooms, spacious offices, and a multi-use pavilion for athletics and school performances in 1997. Grades DK-3, and Curtis’s Middle School, grades 4-8. Every student is encouraged to explore the “world of creative expression. School performances including the annual holiday and spring concerts, and the Emerging Artists exhibits are perennial highlights each year. Curtis supplements its arts program with pre-school and after-school lessons in music. www.curtisschool.org
Harvard-Westlake
Located on two campuses, this coeducational college preparatory day school has approximately 1,500 students in grades 7-12. Middle School campus, 7-9, has 733 students on is North Faring Road campus. Founded in 1900, there are 211 faculty members, with more than have holding masters degrees. The campuses feature eight academic halls, two lecture halls and two separate libraries, three gymnasiums, and two pools. The school ranks in the Top 10 in the United States for most National Merit Scholarship semifinalists. www.harvardwestlake.com
John Thomas Dye School
John Thomas Dye School is a coeducational non -profit school serving the educational, emotional, social and moral needs of the 320 students in grades K-6. The school was founded in 1929 by Cathryn and John Dye. In 1949, the school moved to its present location in the hills of Bel Air. The school is named for John Thomas Dye III, who was killed in action in World War II. The John Thomas Dye school is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges and the California Association of Independent Schools. It is a member of the National Association of Independent Schools. www.jtdschool.com
Milken Community High School
This is the largest Jewish community day school in the United States, a religious coeducation, college-preparatory day school on two campuses. Grades 7-12. The Middle School is awaiting a new campus, and high school enjoys a new facility built in 1998. The schools feature state-of-the-art technology including broadband networks to connect classrooms, labs, broadcast studio, a multimedia center and work areas. The schools emphasize a balanced program in math, science, English and social science with complementing courses in Hebrew, Jewish law, history, text and philosophy. www.mchschool.org
The Mirman School
This unique school for gifted children was founded in 1962 by Dr. and Mrs. Norman Mirman. Located on the Westside and near UCLA, the school encompasses elementary and junior high levels, K-8, with students ranging in age between five and 14. The Mirman School is one of only a handful of schools in the United States “devoted exclusively to meeting the needs of the highly gifted children (identified as having an IQ of 145 or above). The academic program is designed to allow students to proceed at an accelerated pace that is in tune with their mental capabilities, without any artificial stops or boundaries.” Students represent all socio-economic levels and many races, religions and personalities. www.mirman.org
