Verdugo Hills High School WASC Self-Study Page 1

Verdugo Hills High School WASC/CDE Self-Study ReportStudents who receive a passing score may qualify for college creditdepending on the institution. AP courses are aligned to the curriculumstandards established by the College AP Board. VHHS currently offers 18 APcourses: AP Calculus AB (which had a 100% pass rate last year), APStatistics, AP English Literature, AP English Language, AP Biology, APChemistry, AP Physics, AP World History, AP European History, AP USHistory, AP Government, AP Computer Science, AP Spanish Language, APSpanish Literature, AP Studio Art Drawing, AP Studio Art 2D, AP Studio Art3D and AP Music Theory.English Language ArtsAt VHHS all students participate in a sequential, four-year, standards-basedEnglish Language Arts curriculum. Each student is expected to achievebenchmark levels of performance for every course. All students have accessto opportunities for enrichment and acceleration. Honors courses are open toall students who have the desire to undertake more challenging coursework.As mentioned, AP courses can follow.In order to achieve articulation and cohesion between grades, and to supportthe writing strand of the ELA standards, the VHHS English Department hascreated a common essay rubric and utilizes the Jane Schaeffer WritingProgram. In addition, the English Department has compiled a VHHS EnglishLanguage Arts Handbook which is available online. The handbook containsliterary terms, a business letter format, and explains a variety of study skills.English teachers utilize a common essay prompt; this initial prompt isoffered as the primary vehicle by which the Jane Schaeffer method is taught.The concrete details for the essay are generated by a project that all ninthgraders complete; the project requires students to engage in self-reflection,to share information with their classmates in the form of a speech, andfinally to use this information to write an essay.9 th Grade CurriculumThe VHHS English Department has created thematic pacing plan for its ninthgraders that include the following thematic units: Self-Identity: Choices andConsequences, Family and Interpersonal Relationships: Ethics and Values,Verdugo Hills High School WASC Self-Study Page 69